by Jeanni Ritchie
I often talk about the pendulum swing. I used to like its wild extremes, bouncing from one end to the other and never settling in the middle. The still was boring, I thought. I reveled in the chaos.
But once I embraced peace, I learned the art of balance. From time management to prioritizing my mental health, from balancing faith vs secular writing, I appreciated the peace that came with the discipline.
But there’s a balance that I see so many struggle with: giving OF yourself vs. giving TO yourself. When is it self-care and when it is isolation?
I tend to go the way of not scheduling enough self-care sometimes but I’ve gotten much better with this. I know how to say no, I just don’t always know when. I have so many interests that I want to do it all!
But this is a pendulum swing from a few years ago when I isolated from the world, citing a need for prioritizing self-care. I wasn’t taking care of myself. I was running from myself. Sleep and television and games on my tablet were distractions from life.
There is nothing wrong with all three when done in moderation, but when your life revolves around a screen or your bed it’s not self-care, it’s self-sabotage.
As society teaches us more and more that we should put ourselves first, many take it to such extremes that volunteerism becomes obsolete. We should always make time to help others and make a difference.
No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. John Donne (1572-1631)
Schedule time for yourself (a DIY spa day, date night, Sunday nap) if you are so busy doing for others that you neglect yourself.
But if you find yourself always putting yourself first, find opportunities to help others. Volunteer at a local shelter or food bank, bake cookies for Teacher or Nurse Appreciation Day, even help a senior unload groceries from their car. There are always ways to help others.
Remember….a healthy life is a balanced one.
Jeanni Ritchie is a contributing journalist from Central Louisiana. She often writes on mental health positivity and can be found at www.jeanniritchie.com.
