Self-care is more than just eating the cake you feel you deserve.
Actually doing the things necessary to heal,
To recover,
To process in the long term.
Meditation,
Exercise and self-work.
The truth is,
Is that the body keeps the score.
You are holding onto things inside that you were not able to process in the past.
Things and events that were too much to deal with at the time are still there.
Take a moment and find where you're holding things in the body.
Do it now.
There'll be tensions and pains and overwhelms and chronic issues and illnesses,
Things that are activating and triggering.
Memories,
Moods,
Emotions,
Visualizations.
Listen to those parts of the body.
Feel them deeply.
Approach them all with an attitude of compassionate curiosity and calm confidence.
And then,
And here's the important part,
As your own inner parent,
As your own inner therapist.
Offer yourself.
Care,
Compassion and connection that you did not receive,
That you need.
Like an internal hug,
Some words of encouragement,
The offering of love.
Comfort yourself.
First need to regulate ourselves,
Feeling,
Connecting,
Holding,
Soothing deeply.
Give it a try.
The slow process.
True.
Act of self-care.