Self-Care for the Self-Employed
Before we jump into this blog, I wish to share that this is a vulnerable message and one I don’t take lightly. Please take care when reading. This is not medical advice. I am not a doctor. I’m just opening up about my personal experience and what helped me regulate my body.
I had a panic attack recently. I can’t remember the last time I had one, it hasn’t been recently. I found myself feeling restless again and when I tried to calm my nervous system and focus on meditation, instead of calming down, my body and my breath escalated.
I decided to allow myself to feel the feelings that led to crying uncontrollably, mildly hyperventilating, and experiencing tingling in my hands and face.
My husband heard everything and came to support me. He hugged me and allowed my tears (and snot) to come out because there was no stopping the Big Emotions. And then my dog came to my rescue too, and that’s when I realized that my jokes about how he’ll be my emotional support animal during the adoption process were no jokes at all. His jumps to lick the tears off my face brought me back to reality.
What led to that? So much. Frankly, I wish to keep that private. And turn the focus of this post into something of value for both of us instead. Something that I hope may interest or inspire you on your journey of growth, business building, and entrepreneurship.
Life throws major hits at us. That’s part of the experience. Some will say that the trials and tribulations are exactly what we signed up for as spiritual beings seeking a human experience on Earth.
It’s not the hits, not the bad days, not a series of unfortunate events. It’s how we prepare to handle those events.
In the stress of life, I moved away from my spiritual practice and neglected the parts of me that needed care, kindness, comfort, and nurture. I was too busy worrying about things.
Maybe you can relate? “If I just keep myself busy and keep going, surely, there won’t be time to feel this deeper heaviness”, I thought. Right?
Wrong.
As someone who has learned about trauma and nervous system regulation, I knew it was time to come back to love. A friendly nudge to return to my body was all I needed.
I have my friend Val to thank for this reminder. We worked together last year as I explored energy healing with her guidance. She shared a few helpful tools that I’ll add to the list below.
Maybe you don’t have a spiritual practice. Or maybe you call it something else. Mine is essential. And if I neglect these acts of care, I am thrown back into heaviness without armor. A scary, tiring place to be.
I am not consistent. I just go through my day doing the best I can to implement at least one of these to check in with myself and remain open to receiving more clarity, peace, grace, and love.
The following is a list of resources and practices that help me honor Big Emotions without getting consumed by them. I hope you find support in some of these as well.
The most powerful tools in my toolbox include breathwork, creative release, movement + music.
Available anywhere
Breathwork: Here’s a short practice from Wim Hoff that turned me onto breathwork in the first place. Now I know why people practice this modality. It’s wildly effective.
Sunshine on my face☀️
Feet in the ground (or sand) – also known as ‘grounding’
Walking around the neighborhood/Mindful time in nature 🌳
Listening to uplifting music (or any music that makes me want to shake my ass. An excellent way to release and reconnect to my body. Here’s a playlist I created.
Turning my phone to ‘Do Not Disturb’ setting – to help curb my distractions and disassociations. Like mindlessly scrolling social media, amirite!? UGH (The discomfort of sharing this message has made me want to reach for my phone and escape more times than I care to admit.)
Guided meditation - Apps like Headspace are great for someone who struggles with complete silence.
Affirmations - Here’s an excellent Self-Care package from Londrelle that focuses on Chakras.
Energy healing - Working with someone like Val to help navigate my healing journey.
Yoga – I bet this doesn’t surprise anyone who’s practiced yoga. A beautiful mind + body + soul connection. I love yoga with Adrienne.
Monthly massage – this has become non–negotiable.
Journaling – again, I’m not consistent, but writing out what’s clouding my mind on paper is a great way to get it out of my head physically to help me mentally.
Avoid scary movies, hard-hitting news, or shows that cover topics my heart can’t handle. The ‘unfollow’ and ‘snooze’ options are there for a reason.
Do something creative to fire up other parts of my brain like:
Coloring – just did a coloring session with my daughter last night.
Cooking – a creative escape that enables me to mindfully create nourishing food for my family. Val also reminded me that it’s how I connect with my ancestors. My Polish grandmother was a master chef.
BONUS for my Hawaii friends:
Dance class: Music + Movement again. Luckily, my friend Lori is a professionally trained dancer and used to perform regularly. She hosts a weekly class on Monday nights at Mu Barre & Temple in Kailua (right above Beet Box).
Twerking yoga? It DOES exist and it’s the most incredible experience of releasing any stuck emotions in the Root chakra. This particular class is called The Wild (so fitting) and Summer, the instructor, blends Shakti yoga moves with unique hip exercises that make our booties pop, twerk, and shake. A sensual and sexy way to bring yourself back to Love. OH – and her playlist is HOT! She creates a custom one for each class.
Available at Yoga Under the Palms (Kailua and Kaimuki locations, the class name is The Wild)
That’s my list. It’s what keeps me grounded and connected to Source. How I regulate my body and return to Love. Where my ego doesn’t play tricks on my soul, and my mind isn’t filled with thoughts that don’t serve me well.
Hopefully, you’ll find something here for yourself.
LOVE,
Aga