Anita Ojeda 
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Self-care awareness is important to our physical AND mental wellness. When we fail to take care of our emotions, they often show up in our physical health.
September marks another self-care awareness month. What does self-care awareness mean to you? I used to think self-care was all about manicures, retail therapy, and self-indulgence. Not any more. Find out the true meaning in this month’s series.
What Does Self-Care Awareness Have to Do With My Emotions?
“Stop it!” My four-year-old grandson said in a firm voice. “That’s making me angry!”
“I’m sorry,” I said, as I quickly turned the blender off. “I should have warned you before I turned on a loud noise.”
“If I wait a minute and then warn you, may I turn the blender back on?”
“Ok,” he said. He nodded and covered his ears.
I turned the blender back on and marveled at how such a young child had already started to understand the importance of self-care awareness. As an autistic child, my grandson didn’t start speaking until almost three years of age. His parents have done a marvelous job of teaching him emotional intelligence skills. At four, he had incredible self-awareness of his need to be warned about loud noises. It took me until my 40s to figure out I don’t like repetitive motions (those fidget spinners in the hands of my students about drove me insane).
Your Emotions and Your Need for Self-Care Awareness
Lacking self-awareness about external things that bother me made me grouchy and short-tempered at times. But lacking self-awareness about my emotional state took a huge toll on my physical health. I ignored many of my emotions—things like fear, despair, sadness, and grief for so long they snarled into a backyard jungle I couldn’t control. They started choking the life out of me physically.
Doctors couldn’t figure out what ailed me. Probably because I kept going to medical doctors instead of a counselor or psychologist. It took me seven years to sit down and really process all the emotions I’d had during my husband’s catastrophic cancer bout.
You can learn from my mistakes and save yourself hundreds of dollars in doctor bills. Learn to identify your emotions and process them in healthy ways before they get out of control and cause physical damage.
Listen to the Self-Care Hacks podcast by clicking the player (at the top of the post), or download the podcast on your favorite podcast player app. You’ll see where the podcast is available in the upper right corner of this page.
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Self-care awareness helps you understand your need to process emotions and avoid physical repercussions. #selfcareawarenessmonth #selfcare Click To TweetShow Notes
Should you see a pastor or clergyman for counseling?
Research on cortisol:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3110569/#R41
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress/art-20046037
If you’d like to start a journey to physical wholeness, you can check out some of these posts:
Basic Accountability Tools for Improving Physical Wholeness
Find Out How to Improve Your Physical Health This Summer
Why You Need to Prioritize Your Physical Health
Thank you Anita! It’s such an important series on self awareness & care you’re doing . Bless you
Jennifer
Tea With Jennifer recently posted…What is A True Soul Mate?
Thank you for stopping in, Jennifer!
Anita Ojeda recently posted…Intrigue, Inspiration, Romance, and the Gilded Age
In the current health climate – and we age, it’s so important to understand these how to care for our emotions during health crisis. And to face those things which set us on edge! Thank you for this Anita. I’m having a self care week for my emotions because of last week! I’m not sure how it’s going to work out, but I do know I have to let schedules go this week!
Maryleigh recently posted…When a Miracle Shakes Up the Everyday Ordinary
Good for you! It takes self-awareness to know we need time to sit with our emotions and process them.
Anita Ojeda recently posted…Does God Care for You, even if it Doesn’t Always Seem Like it?
I remember seasons of raging hormones and big BIG feelings and am grateful for whatever grace has come to me in the years between.
Michele+Morin recently posted…God is Not Distant or Untouchable. You Can Draw Near to God.
Aww, those raging hormones! They do seem to magnify every little thing, don’t they? I’m learning to sit with my feelings and acknowledge them. It helps.
Anita Ojeda recently posted…Does God Care for You, even if it Doesn’t Always Seem Like it?
Good for you for taking a self-care week, Maryleigh! I took a break from many things in August because I just wasn’t functioning well and it has paid some great dividends. in terms of energy, compassion, and creativity. Praying your week gives you what you need.
Thanks for these wise words, Anita. When two of my family members faced simultaneous health crises, I steered them–and the family–through, okay. What I didn’t do was pay much attention to the crisis I was creating for myself. I told myself I really didn’t have time. The hacks you share here are simple and doable, small actions that don’t take much time and won’t overwhelm. Thanks for breaking them down this way.
Natalie Ogbourne recently posted…Why Do We Keep Going?
It’s so easy to get sucked into the family caregiver during a crisis routine and to completely forget about our basic needs.
Anita Ojeda recently posted…Does God Care for You, even if it Doesn’t Always Seem Like it?
I so related to the part of podcast where you don’t want to show the “wrong” emotions to the different groups of people. We want to spare them any unpleasantness. But it does not help us, or even them. This has been a hard lesson to learn. We need to identify and speak about our emotions with safe people.
Theresa+Boedeker recently posted…Why is Life harder Than We Imagined?
This is helping me think through a question I’ve been asking myself lately – do I need some counseling again?
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[…] Up To: Unlimited Link Party. #34 – Hello Monday – Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop – Inspire Me Monday – Love Your Creativity Link Party #115 – The Happy Now Blog Link Up #287 – […]
Hello Anita and thank you again for another party!
Wish you a wonderful day!
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Like you, I’ve been amazed at the wisdom (and humor) that comes from the mouth of a grandchild who lives with a disability.
To be able to articulate who we are and where we’re coming from and what we need is a skill set we’d all be wise to develop … and nurture. All the relationships we’ve had would have been a whole lot healthier and stronger.
Thanks for this wise writing, Anita!
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Anita, I love that your grandson is so self-aware and could express his emotions to you. His parents HAVE done a good job of teaching him emotional awareness. That will serve him well, especially with being on the spectrum. Thank you for the reminder of just how important it is to process through my own emotions. Some lessons are hard-learned, and this has been one of those for me.
Such an important self care awareness topic! Anxiety and stress is often felt physically with illness and tummy aches.
Julie recently posted…9 Things You Need to Know About Nutrition and Healthy Food Choices for Your Family
Wow! This is so enlightening. It’s a whole new way of looking at self-care.
Thank you, Anita!
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Great post, Anita! Thank you for sharing and thank you for hosting!
Anita, your experience with the backyard jungle of emotions reminded me of all the talking with I did friends (and also a counselor) when my parents were declining and after they died. I sometimes got tired of hearing my own voice, but just to be able to share and process with a select few who really cared was such an important part of my healing journey. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I see it now. I’m glad that you were eventually able to work though all the emotions from your husband’s cancer journey, and I definitely appreciate your willingness to share those hard lessons with us.
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