The only things we fail at are the things we didn't try - a paraphrase of an old saying. I have tried and failed at many things including self-care. I have mistaken self-indulgence for self-care. I have rationalized eating certain foods in the name of taking care of my feelings. I have forgone exercise routines in the name of resting.
Self-Care is not a tightly knit set of ideas. Self-Care is fluid and live. It ebbs and flows as we grow and expose ourselves to more ideas and concepts. Self-Care is a way to be, anticipating that there will be something or someone that might upset us. It is prevention and intervention. It is life giving and sustaining. It is intentional. It is flexible and firm.
My hope for all of us is that we decide to invest in self-care in a radical way. My hope is that self-care becomes an institutional practice in every sector. My hope is that we all see our need for intentional self-care practices. Moment to moment. Daily. Weekly. Monthly. Our children, neighbors, families, friends, and communities at large need us to practice radical self-care!
Radical Self-Care contributes to healthier and safer communities.
I encourage and challenge us to take inventory of our precious lives and covenant to be better stewards over those lives. Radical Self-Care may be lonesome. Radical Self-Care is necessary. Radical Self-Care is good stewardship!
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