When you do a job that involves supporting others in some way it can feel challenging, overwhelming and emotionally tiring.
It’s natural to feel this way when working in the not-for-profit or public sector. When the emphasis is always on helping others it can be easy to forget your own needs.
We talk all the time about prioritising self-care practices in order to maintain resilience when doing challenging work. Here at Bird we often we talk about doing activities like massage, yoga, journaling, coaching or other talking therapies. These processes are beautiful and brilliant at bringing you back to yourself, they help you feel grounded and centered.
But, it’s also important to remember to do the things you love to do, to do the things that spark something in you.
I forget sometimes that I love traveling abroad. I do it for no other reason than it brings me alive and makes me glow with excitement. I haven’t previously thought of it as a self-care strategy, but the fact that it fills me with light by default makes it self-caring.
Self-care doesn’t always have to be calm and meditative, it can be thrilling and exciting, or totally random, or new and unknown.
Our advice from Bird HQ this week is to step into all different kinds of self-care. Do you skydive? Do you climb high hills? Do you bake amazing goodies? Do you sing? Do you roll down grassy banks? Whatever you love, go do it, your colleagues, clients, family and friends will thank you for it.
Sending love, Hannah at Bird
Photo by Teddy Kelley on Unsplash