Just like a broken leg needs a cast, your body needs its own "cast" of good self-care.
When you're going through significant change such as a loss, taking extra care of yourself is one of best things you can do. Now is the time to put yourself first, to do the things you need to do to stay healthy. Often there are others to think about as well, but if we are not healthy we can’t be as helpful as we want. On an airplane we are told that when the oxygen masks fall, put one on yourself before you help someone else. We are no good to anyone if we don’t preserve our own health.
The stress of loss and change can cause i
· Connect with other people who have experienced a similar loss, tapping into the healing power of connection. We are not meant to be alone through such times. Group support during rough times has been practiced through the ages. Find a safe place to receive support and to be supportive of others.
· Establish some easy self-care practices such as practicing breathing exercises, walking, sitting in the sun or drinking fresh water. Harness the power of nature through water, fresh air and visual beauty—this works to support the healing process and to bolster our immune processes.
Fortunately, our body is an amazing thing. "When an emotional injury takes place, the body begins a process as natural as the healing of a physical wound. Let the process happen. Trust the process. Surrender to it."—Colgrove, Bloomfield and McWi
Just like a broken leg needs a cast, your body needs its own "cast" of good self-care. Practicing easy self-care techniques releases the body's natural healing powers. In addition, the support and love of a group sustains you in ways that are hard to find anywhere else.
