What better time of year to develop your own personal mission statement for self-care. This is a subject I believe needs lots of thought and just not at the beginning of the New Year when it’s all too easy to say, “Yea, I’ll go on a diet. I need to lose some weight,” or “I’ll exercise three times a week,” or “I’ll give up drinking my calories in coke or milkshakes, etc.” And then within two weeks it’s all over. I suggest making a plan of self-care and reviewing it every month. See what works and what doesn’t and then revise as needed.

There’s a lot more to self-care than our eating habits. How much time are you spending at work verses time spent at home with your loved ones? Or if you work from home how are you meeting your needs and everyone elses needs too? What works for one person and their family may not work for someone else. We all seem to be in search of that ever elusive thing called balance.

That might be easier to find if we take time to listen.
Listen to what we are telling ourselves. Have you ever got stuck in “stinkin’ thinkin’?” I know I’ve gone there before and it just doesn’t help. Therapists have long recognized the value of postive thinking. The term cognitive therapy is all about changing our thought life for the better. You can learn more here: National Institute of Mental Health.

Are you pursuing your dreams? Remember that saying, “A dream is a goal with a deadline?” It’s true. If you really want to achieve your dreams you’ve got to set realistic, achievable goals. I wanted to write books so I did. I wrote, and I studied, I joined a critique group, I attended writing conferences, I asked questions, and I listened a lot. And after twenty long years of perseverance my first book is being published in May 2011. The point is that I just didn’t talk about it, I took action.  I know there are many of you out there who have done the same thing, whether it’s writing a book, building a business, going to college, raising a family.

Okay. This post is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to self-care. Here’s my current self-care plan.

1. Maintain a strong relationship with God through prayer, Bible study, and worship.
2. Listen to my families needs and work on a plan proactively with them.
3. Be aware of “stinkin thinkin” and practice being aware of the times it raises its ugly head. 
4. Challenge negative thoughts and work hard to change them over time.
5. Work hard to keep deadlines and write to the best of my ability.
6. Be an active team member at work and listen carefully to my students. 
7. Organize my work space.
8. Sleep at least seven hours a night.
9. Exercise three times a week.
10. Eat more fruit.
11. Don’t overspend.

What’s one thing you can do to take care of yourself this next month? We all have to start somewhere. Take time to make a plan of self-care. I’d love to hear your ideas.