How to find your self-care squad

How to find your self-care squad

Although we’re coming up to what’s often referred to as the “festive season”, Christmas and New Year are not always filled with happiness for everyone. It’s a great time for many; but not all.

So how can you maintain happiness if you know you’re going to be facing stressors or challenges? How can you hold on to your mental health if loneliness is likely to be an issue?

You can boost your happiness and wellbeing by surrounding yourself with the right type of people. And this article will help you do this…

via Mindful.org by Shelly Tygielski

Self-care is not a lone pursuit. Having someone you can reach out to when you need an extra push or a compassionate ear can very well be the difference between burning out or becoming your most powerful self.

Today we’re going to explore how we can build powerful communities of care.

Throughout history, our greatest cultural shifts and positive leaps have been born from a place of collectivism. The idea that “united we are stronger” has been proven time and time again. But what about the idea that together we are “healthier”? What about the argument that bonding with our peers brings us comfort in trying times? What about the possibility that a strong community helps all its members achieve physical and mental wellbeing? I argue this is what happens when we build communities of care.

Rather than being islands unto yourself, accepting and relying on the help of others builds a sense of accountability to your community, inspiring you to be the best version of yourself. This is not dependency. This doesn’t devalue your contributions or render you an incapable human being. Being part of a community you genuinely believe in is both empowering and humbling. It’s at once calming and energizing. It’s striking that healthy balance between “me” and “we” that’s the key to emotional and physical health and well-being.

Why Create a Community of Care?

Think of a standard rope. It starts out as a bunch of frail individual strings. However, when they are all intertwined, the result is an unbreakable force.

When you build a community of care, you immediately become stronger. You are instantly blessed with greater power to take on the problems you deem worthwhile. Think about it, you go from a single voice for change to a chorus for change and that’s a powerful thing. It’s only possible because a community of care looks out for itself.

A community of care doesn’t merely ask a single mother how she and her children are doing. It finds ways to help with childcare and babysitting. A community of care doesn’t expect a teacher on strike to hang in there alone. Rather, it organizes a rally to picket alongside that teacher and makes sure that her family has access to food and basic needs. A community of care recognizes when a member becomes detached and starts displaying the warning signs of fatigue or depression, and it intervenes with a shoulder to cry on and a safe space to be vulnerable.

When a community of care does its job properly, deeper connections and clearer purposes emerge. A strong community of care makes sure nobody goes it alone.

When a community of care does its job properly, deeper connections and clearer purposes emerge. A strong community of care makes sure nobody goes it alone.

How Do We Build Sustainable Communities of Care?

1) Think Big But Start Small – The Self-Care Buddy System

A powerful community of care doesn’t require a massive membership. Go ahead and start on a smaller scale. Find a friend or two who share your sensibilities and start a self-care practice together. You and your micro-community buddies can schedule regular check-ins; invite each other to self-care activities; and set realistic goals together (You can join our online meditation group and spend 30 minutes every Friday with a global group of like-minded people, for example). Most importantly, you’ll enjoy the empowering support and motivational accountability that come with finding a true sense of community.

…keep reading the full & original article HERE