Individual Well Being & Healthy Relationships

In this issue ...

1. Individual Growth & Well Being – Your Personal Self Care Plan
2. Couple Connection & Intimacy – Making Time for Self Care and Couple Care in Our Crazy Busy World
3. Family: Creating a Healthy Home Base –  Family Self Care and Practical Ways to Make it Happen
4. Thoughtful Parenting – Encouraging Self Care for Your Children & Teens
5. Strom Therapy Facebook - Update 
6. Strom Therapy Relationship Blog – Update
7. Positive Thinking - Creating Self Care "Self Talk" and Visualizations

Your personal self care is paramont to your individual well being. Unfortunately, it is one of the last things to get added and one of the first to go if we get busy. There is no way around it, self care does take some time. But it does not  have to take huge amounts of time. We can do bite sized, manageable pieces that are easier to swallow and digest. So we are more likely to do it. Personal self care is like you are "unique".

First of all assessing what it is you are needing is the first step and then beginning to make a plan on how to implement what is needed. It does not have to be perfect. We just have to start down the path, one step at a time.

There are of course "The Basics" - healthy norishment of our body, 7-9 hours of deep restorative sleep and physical activity. These are so important to our everyday functioning physically, emotionally and socially. For example: If we are not gettng the deep restoratve sleep we need, we do not feel well physically or emotionally. And for many of us we do not interact with our family and those around us in the most positve way we are capable of. Needless to say, "The Basics" are just that basic to our foundational well being.

It is also important to look at the self care of our "Inner Self.". Things to consider: 1. Am I happy? And if not, what do I need to be doing to be happy? 2. Do I feel I am using my talents? Have I identified what I am passionate about? What do I feel is my purpose or what do I want with my life? All questions to begin to explore and find answers to. Knowing and honoring yourself is a critical piece of good self care. 

Combining Self Care and Family Care is a handy way of covering two bases. Sometimes this makes sense and other times not so much. Having a message in your family that caring for yourself is a good thing is something that will serve your children well. Showing children that sometimes this can be done as a family is another message that can serve them well. So what are some practical ways we can combine self care and family care?

"The Basics" are a good place to start. Healthy eating is something that is wonderful self care and family care all rolled into one. Involving the whole family in meal preparation can be a fun adventure. Conversations about why you are eating what you are eating can help solidify why you are taking this path. Physical activity is another way to do self care and family care at the same time. So great for everyone. Not only are you helping to keep bodies in shape and healthy, but the emotional connections you are forming is suberb self care too. We all need a sense of connection and belonging and this is one way to do it. This could be a family walk or run. Or it could be a family bike ride. Or taking a family yoga class together. The possiblities are endless. One of the keys is to find activitites that everyone enjoys or at the least a taking turns of what you do.

Enjoying each other and doing a fun activity that you all enjoy is another form of self / family care. Fun, laughter and being in a "down time" mode is what your mind and body needs. So create what fits best for your family and know you are giving them a gift or model of what is healthy for them. 

But in ending, your own self care will probably have the biggest impact on them. I think especially when we show how happy it makes us feel and we talk about this directly. So go do some self care today. And remember it does not have to to be perfect. A walk around the block will do.