The Downward Spiral

Self-care is part of the web of your life and is affected by any stress you are experiencing. Work is usually the primary source of stress for me. When the stress volume rises, I start to miss some of my self-care goals. It often starts with not sleeping well and starting the day tired. Next thing you know I haven’t had that good breakfast. I’m running out the door with an energy bar if I’m lucky. And then add skipping my morning yoga. I start my day frazzled and end up working through lunch. Uh, oh… there went my mid-day walk. I barely make it through the afternoon and work into the evening. I get home and collapse in front of the computer where I look for some modern day stress relief. Web surfing take me away!

Stress seems to start the spiral but it becomes a self-perpetuating downward trend. Once I am being sucked down into the vortex, it is hard to remind myself of how my good habits made me feel. How eating a good breakfast and doing yoga helped me feel so much more resilient. How the mid-day walk gave me a little boost of energy. Luckily I have my weekly Pilates session as a touchstone. When all else has fallen away, I still go to my weekly session. There I am reminded of how good my body can feel. Not necessarily during the session, which can be so hard. But afterwards, my body feels restored to a more healthy state of being. It loves to move – to stretch and to flex. It wants me to remember how good taking care of it feels.

Another week. Another chance to start again and start the spiral back upward.