Self-Care Is The Best Care

My journey to self-care

Simply put self-care means taking time to do things that will protect your well-being and happiness. It’s those things that will pour into you when you feel depleted, boost your confidence when you are low, and enable you to care for yourself your way.

My rare motivation

When I found out I had peritoneal mesothelioma I was a new mom and still finding my way through the newness of motherhood. We may not be able to control cancer, but we can be kind to ourselves, and we do that by incorporating self-care into our routine. Have you heard of the saying, “Self-care is the best care”? Given everything you’re going through with having cancer, adding anything else can be overwhelming. Self-care should be on your list of priorities and has benefits to prove it too. The self-care tips below are those that I have and still incorporate into my life.

My self-care list

• Be kind to yourself; extend yourself grace. If you may be someone who blames yourself don’t. Be kind to yourself
• Journal our thoughts. At times when you’re going through hard times, you may feel alone. It may feel as if no one understands how you feel because they haven’t walked in your shoes. Writing your thoughts down in a journal can be very helpful. It’s a way for you to get things off your chest and has been proven to release stress.
• Get a massage. Ahhh when you find the right massage therapist, keep them. A massage helps relieve stress and tension in your muscles. Just take the time to yourself and relax with the various aromatherapy if you can tolerate it.
• Don’t push your limits. It’s vital to listen to your body. Your body will let you know what it needs. If it’s saying it needs rest, then rest. Whatever needs to be done it will get done when it gets done. Don’t feel obligated to overdo things because you want to prove to others that you can do it even with mesothelioma.
• Prioritize your sleep. Going through the different treatments and back and forth from doctors' appointments your sleep can and will be out of wack. It’s still important to sleep when you can. It also gives your body time to relax and recover.
• Go for a walk. Don’t try to do a marathon but just a light walk outside smelling the fresh air. Of course, ask your doctor before you start because it can be seen as a type of light exercise.

Please note that self-care is different for everyone and there’s no certain way you should do it. The key is finding out what’s right and best for you. Do the things that bring you joy!

Do you practice any of these? Which ones seem the hardest? Share in the comments below!