How I Help Myself.
When I need to be able to!
A very non-specific title but let me outline, using words AND my photo collages what I do….to help myself.
Back Story.
I am:
a person who can be a worrier…note: not a warrior (I dislike that word used for cancer patients in particular)
someone who needs to know what to expect ….if that is possible in unknown situations
in my 75th year and still learning to help myself using self-taught skills and knowledge gleaned from wise people like my husband, my GPs and a couple of psychologists
I am visually-oriented and learn well from images and words
And I like creating these collages
This one was the result of deciding where my social media connections would stay and I posted it on Instagram
And Then.
I’ve had a rough couple of months where I couldn’t catch a break with my health. I have two viruses (RSV and Covid) and then vertigo. My G.P. has been very supportive but tells me that our bodies can remain inflamed for a while, particularly after Covid.
This was in response to my telling her I was concerned about my I.B.S. returning. She gave me very reassuring advice which completely changed my inner thinking about I.B.S.
I do not CAUSE it….dear readers, I HAD far too judgemental inner comments from former health practitioners who could have been KINDER! One retired ages ago.
It’s a function of digestion and in my case, at times my emotions may trigger it, but instead of my OLD way of thinking about it, coupled with the wise words of THIS man (again)
I am dealing with whatever comes with NO inner critic adding pressure…
And NOW.
But for someone who has lived with the inner critic’s voice, sounding a LOT like my soon-to-be 100 father, I am, for now letting things pass…and allowing the discomfort in my body …taking time, doing some art and maybe taking a walk when I MAY be triggered by something into fear mode again!
It happened today.
And, my newer inner voice HELPED me make a choice based on my values and using my boundaries.
I am such a newbie to boundaries it was HARD. But I stuck to my choice.
Here’s what I did:
I allowed my feelings to be
I shared how I was feeling briefly with B but I did not expect nor ask him to validate me (old behaviours)
I went outside to look at the sky and the garden
I took some photos for perspective
I went for a walk around the block
I allowed time to pass
I am self-helping by finding pockets of time where I can immerse myself in nature, and this place in image above was one, yesterday. Rouse Hill Regional Park. N.S.W. 5 mins from home.
And writing and sharing here helped me to put the words together, with the images.
Do you have self-help strategies?
Warm wishes,
Denyse.
I do have some but all too often I resort to food. Wrong answer and I am trying to be kinder to myself and ask myself why and how I can self support a different way.