This is my first blog post of 2017. I’ve declared this my “Year of Self-Care .” Last year, I got off track a bit, but it’s never too late to change, so I’m getting my rountine exams out of the way at the start of this year. That way, if something needs addressing, it won’t interfere with any future plans. Best to find out now if something is wrong before it gets out of hand. There really isn’t a downside to self-care, so I’m embracing it. I’ve already seen how much benefit as come from the change. 

So here’s what I devised for myself. I’ll share it with you all. I’m not telling you what to do, I wrote to myself as if I was talking to me, the reader. If it pleases you, you’re welcome to join me. 

One of the first things I did was to make the decision to leave Facebook. I’m still working on deleting my account and pages, but, in light of recent events that I happened to see on the news as I sat in a doctor’s waiting room, I’m so happy that I’ve spared myself that unnecessary drama. 

The next thing was reestablishing my former mindset of taking the time to the niceties for myself again. Hair, mani-pedi, wearing my favorite clothes and jewelry, just for me, even if I’m not going out, because it makes me feel happier. Remember ladies, when as a little girl you played dressed-up? It was fun. It’s still fun. It doesn’t have to be much, just a switch from those ratty robes and sweats into slacks and sweater is a huge plus! Switched out those slippers for “outdoor shoes” just to see if I liked how that feels. 

Diet and nutrition. As healthy as I can get without it being a burden. Same with exercise. Every positive is a positive. I congratulate myself for each improvement I make and then make it part of my regular routine. 

Another thing is making and keeping my doctor appointments and therapies. That’s a tough one. It’s quite a burden to plan, get ready and go when you never know how you’ll feel. Responsibilities come up, emergencies happen, dystonia happens, migraine happens, but, keeping these appointments, especially the physical therapy, is important, so I’m determined to follow through and get my body stronger than it is right now. 

My health is my most precious possession. I think everyone should feel that way about themselves. Every year should be the “Year of Self-Care.” For me, I’m committed to this promise, so I’m expecting to be healthier next year than I am right now. 

Which brings me to my new video. It’s about the art of self-expression, creativity and that wonderful self-care; respite. The heart and mind need a break of constantly being absorbed in responsibility. 

I have been wanting to do a brain injury awareness video for years. I had big plans for a big project, but last night, I made a very simple, but heartfelt little video. Part of self-care is meeting your goals in a simple fashion. Big productions are wonderful, but not doing something just because you can’t do it up big, is denying yourself the joy of having experienced it on a small scale. Sometimes the little joys are the ones we remember most fondly.  I hope you like this little video. Please feel free to share it with anyone you feel needs encouragement. Thanks, Janice 💚