Today I begin my fourth year of writing Self-Care Notes. This is my 150th note about discovering ways we can take care of ourselves under circumstances that are both enjoyable and challenging. To those who are still hanging in there with me I offer a heartfelt thanks. To those who have come and gone, I pray that they found something that was worthwhile during their time with us. I will continue to write, explore, and share ways that we can enhance our whole lives, body-mind-soul.
As has been my custom, on the anniversary Self-Care Note, to provide an opportunity to step back and make an assessment about our body-mind-soul health. This year I will offer a few questions that you can explore for yourself. Think back a year and ask yourself how you might have answered these same questions last year or even five years ago. If you have grown in your ability to share love and trust, you can likely say you have strengthened you body-mind-soul. If you have a growing sense of joy and hope in your life, then you can likely say you are better off now than you were back then.
Again, thank you for walking with me along this path. I look forward to sharing the next 50 notes with you as we head toward year five.
Blessings,
Bob
As has been my custom, on the anniversary Self-Care Note, to provide an opportunity to step back and make an assessment about our body-mind-soul health. This year I will offer a few questions that you can explore for yourself. Think back a year and ask yourself how you might have answered these same questions last year or even five years ago. If you have grown in your ability to share love and trust, you can likely say you have strengthened you body-mind-soul. If you have a growing sense of joy and hope in your life, then you can likely say you are better off now than you were back then.
Again, thank you for walking with me along this path. I look forward to sharing the next 50 notes with you as we head toward year five.
Blessings,
Bob
Self-Care Assessment
Do You Enjoy Those Little Chats You Have with Yourself?
We all have a continuing dialogue in our heads. Our body gives us updates of the world around us and the physical world within us. The mind pulls up memories and ideas to help us find meaning in our moments. The soul shares our emotional inner experiences and gives us the energy to make decisions and choose our paths. These three-part conversations can become quite difficult, especially when we find our relationships and situations are complicated. Rather than trying to untangle all of this simply ask yourself, do you enjoy the conversations between you body-mind-soul? Do they bring you good and positive experiences? Do they help you through difficult relationships and circumstances? Does your inner conversation increase your capacity for love and trust, joy and hope?
How Do Your Relationships Feel? Love and Trust
How do your connections with family, friends, neighbors, and strangers feel? Do they encourage you to share in and strengthen other’s lives or do they turn you inward and increase your self-concern? Do your day-to-day interactions with family, friends, neighbors, or strangers foster trust or distrust?
How Are You Handling Complicated Situations? Joy and Hope
When you encounter challenging situations does your inner conversation offer you joy and hope, or deep sadness and despair? These situations may grow out of disappointments, failure, shame, or loss. How does your inner voice respond to them? Do your day-to-day lives foster joy and hope?
Are You Happy?
Finally, a simple, straightforward question. Are you happy? Are you happier now than you were 1 year ago? 5 years ago? 10 years ago?
If you feel that you could have a deeper concern for others (love) and a greater ability to be close to others (trust) as well as a deeper joy and hope in life, I encourage you to consider finding a Spiritual Director. Below is a link to explore Spiritual Direction.
We all have a continuing dialogue in our heads. Our body gives us updates of the world around us and the physical world within us. The mind pulls up memories and ideas to help us find meaning in our moments. The soul shares our emotional inner experiences and gives us the energy to make decisions and choose our paths. These three-part conversations can become quite difficult, especially when we find our relationships and situations are complicated. Rather than trying to untangle all of this simply ask yourself, do you enjoy the conversations between you body-mind-soul? Do they bring you good and positive experiences? Do they help you through difficult relationships and circumstances? Does your inner conversation increase your capacity for love and trust, joy and hope?
How Do Your Relationships Feel? Love and Trust
How do your connections with family, friends, neighbors, and strangers feel? Do they encourage you to share in and strengthen other’s lives or do they turn you inward and increase your self-concern? Do your day-to-day interactions with family, friends, neighbors, or strangers foster trust or distrust?
How Are You Handling Complicated Situations? Joy and Hope
When you encounter challenging situations does your inner conversation offer you joy and hope, or deep sadness and despair? These situations may grow out of disappointments, failure, shame, or loss. How does your inner voice respond to them? Do your day-to-day lives foster joy and hope?
Are You Happy?
Finally, a simple, straightforward question. Are you happy? Are you happier now than you were 1 year ago? 5 years ago? 10 years ago?
If you feel that you could have a deeper concern for others (love) and a greater ability to be close to others (trust) as well as a deeper joy and hope in life, I encourage you to consider finding a Spiritual Director. Below is a link to explore Spiritual Direction.
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