Making Room for Ourselves
October always feels like a transition month. Summer is officially behind us, routines are in full swing, the holidays are suddenly not that far away, and our calendars start filling up again.
Which makes this month's challenge in Dr. Jen Ashton's The Self-Care Solution feel especially appropriate: stretching.
Not another intense workout. Not another thing to buy. Just a few minutes each day to stop, breathe and take care of our bodies.
Jen's challenge was to make stretching a daily habit. She incorporated it into her morning routine and described feeling more relaxed yet energized. Over the month, she also noticed changes in her posture, soreness and how she felt during workouts.
As we get older, maintaining flexibility and mobility becomes another important part of taking care of our bodies. And the good news? It doesn't have to be complicated or take a lot of time.
Try:
3–5 minutes when you wake up
Stretching after a walk or workout
A few movements after sitting at a desk
5–10 minutes of yoga before bed
Simple.
The more I thought about Jen's challenge, the more I realized that "making room" is what self-care is about.
Making room to stretch.
Making room to move.
Making room to rest.
Making room to take care of our health.
October is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which has become especially meaningful to me.
Part of taking care of myself is staying consistent with the breast-health screening plan recommended for me, which includes alternating my mammogram and breast MRI every six months.
It's not something I spend a lot of time worrying about, but it is something I make room for on my calendar, because preventive care is part of self-care, too.
What that looks like will be different for each of us, but it's a good reminder not to become so busy taking care of everything, and everyone else that we forget to take care of ourselves.
This October also marks my fifth year creating care kits for women undergoing breast cancer treatment at Masonic Breast Cancer Center.
It's become one of the most meaningful traditions connected to Live Well with Angela, and I'll be sharing much more about this year's kits soon—including a way for those of you who have asked over the years to be part of it again.
So, this October, I'm challenging myself to make a little more room.
Room to stretch.
Room to breathe.
Room to take care of my health.
Room to take care of others.
And maybe most importantly, room for myself.
Sometimes self-care isn't about adding one more thing to our list. It's simply remembering that we belong on the list, too.
Here's to living well this October,
x/o
Angela
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