Tag: self care

brown leaves photo

What Brought You Joy?

Katlyn T
adorable black and white blur boy

When you were a kid, what brought you joy?

Was it playing a sport? Hanging out with your dog? Learning something new in school? Playing an instrument? Going swimming in the lake during a hot summer day? Going sledding on a snowy January afternoon?

Our interests and priorities change as we go from childhood to adulthood – but don’t write off everything on your childhood enjoyment list quite yet.

Sometimes what we loved to do as a kid can give us a good indication of ways we can relax and recharge now, even as adults.

It’s okay to play, relax, recharge, and have fun, even as adults.

In fact, it’s even important that we do so!

Relaxing, recharging, forgetting the cares of our daily lives for a little while as we loosen up and have some fun – these are things that help the parasympathetic nervous system to kick in and help our body relax.

Once we relax, we can begin the process of resting and healing.

For some of you, perhaps your childhood interests lead you to where you are now, and you are excited about the direction your life is going. For others, perhaps you found a new path as an adult and are content, but feel a little like you are going through the motions of life without actually living it.

And some…may feel completely lost.

woman looking at the map

Going back to what brought you joy as a child may be an interesting activity for many. Maybe it will simply be a fun trip down memory lane. Maybe it will give you some ideas on some “play time” you can bring back into your life. And for others…maybe it can give some clue to a new direction you want to try.

A couple real-life examples.

You may have interests as an adult that at first may seem to have almost nothing to do with your interests as a child. Our interests do change as we get older and have the opportunities to try new things, but often they may be linked to something we were exposed to without realizing it.

I played violin and piano growing up, and while I was exposed to music constantly from the time I was tiny, I don’t remember it being a big interest of mine until I was probably in my late teens or early twenties.

Now as an adult, music has become a definite interest in my life. It’s actually become a hobby! I was introduced to the world of Sound Engineering, and I love to work with music, listen to music, and learn about music.

I didn’t really know this world existed until I was introduced to it as an adult, but likely the exposure I had to music and instruments as a child and teen helped me see the beauty in music and Sound Engineering as an adult.

Other times we have interests as a child that either we leave behind for some reason or another, or they quietly follow us into our adult lives – watching from the shadows of the past, but never really leaving us alone.

Drawing is one of those things for me. I was drawing all the time as a kid, well into my teens. Then I stopped drawing. Then I started, then I stopped. Then I started, then I stopped…

A friend of mine has told me that that’s life. Different things take center stage at different times of our lives, and that’s okay. Something you couldn’t get enough of at one time, you may not even touch for a few years in the future. Maybe you will go back to it, maybe you won’t. Either way, it’s okay.

So far, drawing is something I always seem to go back to, no matter how often I start and stop. Drawing does what it did for me as a kid – it takes me away from whatever is happening in my life and mind for awhile and helps me relax.

girl drawing on white paper

What did you like to do as a kid?

Did you like to play sports growing up? While there are video games for that, maybe instead or in addition you’d like to reach out and see about helping to coach a neighborhood little league team, or see if there are adult neighborhood sports in your area. Adult Volleyball, Basketball, Softball, Ice Skating, and Kickball may be options in your area!

Did you like hanging out with your dog as a kid? If you don’t have a furry friend now because your apartment doesn’t allow pets, perhaps you could see about volunteering at a local animal shelter, or volunteering to walk dogs in your neighborhood. If have a furry friend (or two!) and you are both active souls, there may be agility teams, flyball teams, herding trials, or other activities in your area that would appeal to both of you!

Did you like learning new things in school, but your college days are behind you? Maybe you’d like to find an app for your phone and learn a new language. Maybe you’d like to research a topic that interests you, and head to the library’s nonfiction book section. If you have extra time, maybe you’d enjoy taking a short course from a local or online school, and deepen your knowledge or learn a new skill!

I encourage you to think back over your childhood and pick out a list of things that brought you joy.

Do you do any of these things now?

Did these joys shape who you are and what you do today?

Would you like to try bringing any of those joys back into your life in a new way?

Have a good week!

stuffed toy on snow

How’s Your Momentum?

Katlyn T
field covered with snow during sun rise

We’re already a Week into the New Year!

I would first like to thank you all so much for coming and participating in the end of year event here on my blog. I had fun preparing it for you, and it was great to connect.

If you attended the event, how are you feeling? How’s your momentum? Do you feel motivated, or do you feel a let-down after the activity of the event, and wonder if you’ll actually be able to make a go of your goals?

If you’re feeling a little uncertain about your goals, or if you doubt yourself, you are not alone. There can naturally be a let-down after a fun event.

If you’re struggling, I’d like to offer you some prompts to help you find your motivation and stay on track with what you really want with the next 90 days of the new year.

  1. What did I decide was most important to me to focus on in 2022?
  2. Why was that important to me?
  3. Where am I getting stuck?
  4. Do I still believe in my vision?
  5. What change do I need to make in order to take a step forward today?
  6. Do I need support? (Advice or help from family, friends, a coworker, a coach, etc.)
  7. Do I need rest?

I add “do I need rest” to the list, because sometimes we get stuck simply because we are tired. We just came through the whirlwind of the holiday season, and some of us may be feeling that.

It’s completely okay if you need to stop and rest for a little bit before you can believe in – or even see – your vision for 2022 again. Take a break, rest your mind and your body. You’ll bounce back.

You can do this – I believe in you!

close up of books on shelf

Story Time

Katlyn T
delighted ethnic little siblings reading interesting book on couch

When was the last time you sat down and read a fiction book?

Reading fiction can be very relaxing, because it takes you out of your every-day stressors for a few moments and immerses you in a different world, where your personal day-to-day life doesn’t exist.

Added bonus, reading about a fictional character’s life sometimes helps us live our own life.

I’m a huge fan of children’s books. They can be innocent, easy reads that take me out of my own head for awhile. Some are lighthearted from start to finish, while others are pulse-pounding or thought provoking. Many children’s books these days have a lot of depth to them – because let’s face it, kids deal with a lot in their family life, the their personal life, the process of growing up, reaching adolescents, and beyond. In some ways, kids are forced to be older than their years just because of their circumstances.

As an adult, I’ve found nuggets of truth and wisdom in children’s books, I’ve found the words or comfort I had wished someone would have given to me at an earlier age, and I’ve found inspiration to try again when I don’t feel something is woking out.

You can find these components in many books, no matter the age the book is geared toward. So I just encourage you to read. Whether you like reading on your phone or tablet, listening to an audiobook, or reading a physical book, do what works for you. Libraries are a great resource, and they have digital resources for you to use, such as digital books and audiobooks to borrow and download to your favorite device.

Need some book inspiration? Here are some books I have enjoyed:

Children’s books

  • The Candymakers by Wendy Mass
  • The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis
  • Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
  • Malcolm at Midnight by W. H. Beck
  • The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
  • Wildfire by Rodman Philbrick
  • Winterfrost by Michelle Houts

Young Adult Books

As you can see, I haven’t ready many YA books, but if you ask your library’s Children’s Librarian for recommendations, I’m sure they could help you find something you would enjoy!

  • The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare
  • Jack-O-Lantern House by Francena H Arnold
  • Twice Freed by Patricia M St. John

Adult Books

  • The Boy, the Mole, The Fox, and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy
  • The Mistletoe Inn by Richard Paul Evans
  • Out of the Silent Planet by C. S. Lewis
  • The Honor Girl by Grace Livingston Hill (1929)
  • Fruit For Tomorrow by Francena Arnold (1949)
  • The Light in My Window by Francena Arnold (1950)
  • Hind’s Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard (1955)

Audio Dramas

  • The Chronicles of Narnia, dramatized by Focus on the Family Radio Theatre
  • Sir Malcolm and the Missing Prince, dramatized by Lamplighter Theatre
  • At Home in Mitford, dramatized by Focus on the Family Radio Theatre
  • The Secret Garden, dramatized by Focus on the Family Radio Theatre
  • The Hundred and One Dalmatians, dramatized by BBC Children’s Radio
  • Adventures in Odyssey, by Focus on the Family (Children’s radio show)
  • Down Under, by Patch the Pirate (Children’s audio drama)

Happy reading! What are you going to read this week?

woman in white long sleeve shirt reading book

Time for a Reset

Katlyn T
woman in white long sleeve shirt reading book

I don’t know about you, but I’ve fallen out of the habit of taking time for self-care lately. There has been a lot going on the last number of months, and self-care seemed like the thing that there was never quite enough time for.

But the truth is – it’s November. Which means it is the start of the holiday season. Which means things will only get busier!

So is self-care optional, or essential?

You probably already know my answer on this one. Self-care is essential.

Taking the time to slow down and take care of ourselves helps us come out of the stress response and into the rest-and-heal response. The more we allow ourselves to rest and recharge, the more energy we will have for the things we need to do, and the things we WANT to do. And those lists do seem to lengthen during the holiday season.

Self-care looks different for everyone, and may even look different day-by-day.

When deciding what self-care looks like for you, you could ask these questions:

  • What do I need to say “no” to in my life in order to create time for self-care?
  • How often would I like to practice self-care? (Suggestion: 3x per week or more!)
  • What do I feel I most need right now in order to recharge?
  • What helps me relax? (A hobby, being in nature, going for a walk, etc.)
  • What do I love to do that I rarely take the time for?
  • Why is it important to me to allow my body and mind to rest and recharge?
  • What will happen if I don’t allow my body and mind to rest and recharge?

I encourage you to schedule self-care into your calendar as a non-negotiable appointment with yourself – especially if you are newly creating a care routine, or you are trying to get back into a routine!

Have a restful weekend!