The Little Frog's Guide to Self-Care

Two weeks ago, I received a box of affirmation cards in the mail. They came from a friend that is a sister friend from 40 plus years ago. I had just celebrated a recovery birthday in September, and she sent me a gift in celebration.

I thought I may write about one a week. So, week two card reads, "I thank my body parts. Example; I am thankful for my hands and for all the ways they help me!"

I am keeping track of what I am saying as an affirmation each day on a calendar and October is already half full of affirmations of being beautiful and thankful for my body.

Please try these self-care tips along with me. I have found that some days are tougher than others to be nice to me. Have you found that to be true? I really believe this will help. Some feel silly, as this card does.

After being thankful for my hands, heart, feet, back, legs, stomach, I am grateful for every other body part I have, including my female body parts!

A deeper dive according to the author of the cards: "Small and wondrous things are happening around us at all times - sometimes you just need to take a moment outside of your mind to see it."

"Observe a hummingbird, watch a spider making her web, find a snowflake big enough that you can see its intricate pattern. These little special moments are happening all the time and are waiting for you to take notice."

So, paying attention to how important our body parts are was an important watch for me this past week. Hearing from our youngest daughters husband on Sunday how much pain his back is giving him. He attributes it to an old injury as a kid.

Energy work would help him, and I offered to send him Reiki. As I sent him Reiki the next morning, I struggled with back pain, and then it disappeared. I am so grateful for my back and not having to deal with back pain.

Then, I sent Reiki to a friend who asked for Reiki on Sunday morning for her knee. She is probably overdue for new knees. On Monday when sending, my knee bothered me much of the day. Important to pay attention to how grateful I am that it is not my pain.

Learning I don't have to carry others pain, and I believe it is important for me to recognize and even understand the pain at times.

This week my focus will be that "I am capable of more than I realize."

Starting out the week, I am so grateful that I could tell my story to a group of people in recovery on Saturday and get positive feedback from friends on Sunday.

I was grateful that I could do a quick radio spot to introduce Indigenous Peoples Day to my community on Monday morning. And be a panel of three people, talking about Native American contributions at the local college that same day. I am capable of more than I realize!

Are you thankful for your body parts, as I was last week, and now do you recognize that you are capable of more than you realize this week? Today, is just the first day with this card, that is staring at me from the little wood block that holds it up.

What will the rest of the week bring? More realizations, when digging deeper? Self-care is so important for everyone. Please join in whenever you can! I'll bet everyone is more capable than they realize!