The Self-Care Plan: Bringing It Together (Part 2)

You can access this podcast episode here: https://youtu.be/aPlFEGQCrOU

Definition: Self-care can best be described as the intentional actions that are taken to preserve your mental, emotional and physical well-being.

Self-care is an essential part of your well-being. It plays a valuable role in your mental, emotional & physical health. When you make an intentional effort to preserve your mental, emotional and physical care then it produces healthy results in other areas of your life. When you decide to put your well-being first, it can clarify what stressors affect your mind, body, soul & spirit.

In my self-care journey, I learn how to cope with stress, anxiety & anger. Creating an individual self-care plan has given me a peace of mind during difficult times. When you begin to make yourself a priority, things in your life will shift. No longer will you feel neglected, tired, burnout or unappreciated. Overall, it is a personal responsibility to take care of your well-being. When you try to delegate this responsibility to others, then disappointment and frustration will be a continuous result.

Below I am going to give you guidance on how to bring your self-care plan together.

First Step: In a journal/poster board list all categories for your plan starting with mental, emotional & physical as top categories.

Second Step: The categories will range from 6-8 depending on what specific areas are important to you.

For example your categories may be as follows:

• Mental
• Emotional
• Physical
• Spiritual
• Social/Relational
• Professional
• Recreational
• Financial

Image Reference: https://www.blessingmanifesting.com/2017/07/what-is-self-care.html

Third Step: Once you have listed all your categories then it is time to list your coping strategies. I suggest listing 3 to 5 coping strategies for each category so you will not overwhelm yourself

For example under my mental self-care I would put meditation, prayer, reading inspirational quotes/books etc.

Below is a brief example of my self-care plan…..

• Mental: meditation, prayer, reading inspirational devotions/books
• Emotional: therapy, journaling, setting boundaries
• Physical: walking, being in nature, healthy routine for eating/medical checkups

Once you have finished listing three to five coping strategies, you are done with your self-care plan. You can always add more coping strategies later, but sticking with three to five will help you implement one or two each day during the week. Once you implement a strategy consistently, you will see a change in your life.

*To create your self-care plan you can download the free e-book here: https://payhip.com/b/znTZ *

The Self-Care Plan: Establishing A Plan (Part 1)

You can listen to this podcast episode here: https://youtu.be/SazIorpNnEY

In this new age of promoting self-love, self-care, and self-confidence, many people are clueless about beginning the journey. If they have encountered experiences in their past dealing with mental, emotional, verbal, or physical trauma, then starting a self-care process can be challenging. 

In 2015 I was introduced to the concept of self-care. However, I only had a surface-level understanding of this word. As years began to pass, I began to dig deeper into the self-care phenom. My self-care journey was triggered by the loss of my two-year-old daughter. For several years, I was going through so many mental transitions I had no idea what I was dealing with until later on.

After seeking answers concerning my mental health, I was confronted with the idea of suffering from PTSD, GAD (generalized anxiety disorder), mood swings, and anger issues. When I was able to come to the realization of how I internalize my trauma, this is when I knew it was time to go deeper into my self-care journey.

The first step was to come to terms with how my mental health affected every area of my life. I knew it was time to create a self-care plan that reached beyond bubble baths, manicures, pedicures, and shopping. My self-care path began by attacking the deep-rooted mental issues. 

In 2015, I began to create a self-care plan that has evolved over time. Now I know that my mental, emotional, spiritual, physical, social/relational, and financial self-care is a top priority.

Below I am going to list ways you can start establishing a self-care plan for yourself. 

1. Acknowledge the past traumatic experiences. When you go deeper to identify the experiences in your past that have an effect on your adulthood, then you can gain clarity on where to begin.
2.  Define what self-care means to you. We all define things differently according to our personal life experiences. Spend time to assess what does self-care mean to you.
3. Create a self-care plan. Once you collect the details of what your self-care looks like, you can establish a self-care plan. 

*In this blog and podcast series, I will be writing about starting your mental, emotional and spiritual self-care plan.* 

January Theme: Plan, Prepare & Present!

Tweet: If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail. ~Benjamin Franklin~

In this month of January we usher in a new year, new mindset & a clean slate. Our theme for this month is entitled Plan, Prepare & Present. It is important we take the time to plan for the life we want, prepare for it & began to make monumental steps to present it to the world. Our articles this month will discuss planning for success in all areas of your life, preparing for the harvest of your success & being bold to present your dreams & desires to the world. Get Ready for an exciting month filled with goal setting & taking action manifest our dreams! 

New Year, New Goals

Holidays are over and now we began to focus on our list of things to accomplish for a new year. It is customary for people to make resolutions, go on a vision board frenzy to declare their path for success. However, as the New Year has boldly proclaimed its entrance it’s time to make sure you have plans to execute your goals.

I stopped making new year resolutions and began to make goals. It was more realistic to me to list my goals than to talk about things I would do for a new year. Goals are more effective because they give you a clear sense of the direction you are willing to take to make your dream a reality. In order to obtain all that is due to you make a list of your goals for each area of your life. After you list your goals then it is time to break them up into smaller goals. Each goal you list should be realistic and obtainable to execute within a certain time frame.

The next step is to create a plan of action to accomplish your goals. It will be important to review all the necessary things you may need to produce each goal. When you do a plan of action you may need to reassess what activities you need to withdraw from and deposit your time into the things that are bringing you closer to your goal. Planning strategically will help you complete each goal successfully. Do not forget to make a calendar timeline for your expected completion dates.

The last thing to do to make your new year goals reachable is execution. Life obstacles will come but you have to stay focused on completing the goals you set forth. The greatest thing to do is to eliminate distractions and surround yourself with people moving in the same direction as you are. It is up to you to keep the vow you made to yourself.

Just remember to Stay Motivated & Kill Procrastination!

Authentic Fridays Guest Blogger: Lanira Postell (Taking A Stand)

Taking a Stand

           Although Christians are followers of a perfect being, we are anything but without blemishes. The body of Christ is divided in many ways. An example of this division is the Bible thumpers vs. the Bible holders.

           Today I was on my way to rehearse a scene with my crew. On the way up the slopes to my class I passed a crowd of students. The students were standing in front of a platform in which a few middle aged males held large signs that read, “Repent of your sins. Jesus saves you from hell” or “Adulators, homosexuals, and fornicators will all burn in hell” as I saw the scene I rolled my eyes and went to rehearsal. I have seen these men semester after semester stand on platforms and condemn people to a hell that they think they created. Every semester the reaction to this display worsens.

           After my rehearsal I went to my Queer Identities class where we learned about transgender people and the obstacles that they face in the American society. One study in 2011 showed that the life expectancy of a trans woman was 23. This expectancy is low due to murders and suicide. After my favorite class I left my queer mates and proceeded to go to my next class, but I never made it. The crowd had worsened. I saw a familiar classmate and sister in Christ and I went to her to ask about what happened. She explained that things had gotten out of hand. I could see the terror on her face. She said that the men with the signs were yelling at people and that there were Christian students battling it with other Christians because they did not agree with the way the men were witnessing to non-believers. I explained to her that every semester the crowd reacts worse and worse to this “witnessing” and that I had never seen it this bad. There were students behind the men holding up their own signs that said things from “God loves all” to “Go Falcons!” My classmate left with her jaw pulling from the ground. I stayed.

           I was at ease about the situation because I had seen it before but something was different. Then I saw it. A young lady from the crowd parted through the middle to the stage with a rainbow flag draped over her. She received applause from her family. At that point I knew I couldn’t leave. I went over to a table behind the crowd for support and I watched.  My fellow classmate from my Queer Identities class was one of the individuals that gathered around the rainbow flag and a trans woman cheered and everyone applauded as they battled it out against the radical Christians. I leaned against the table with clenched jaws. It was painful to watch the people that I love: my fellow sisters and brothers in Christ and my queer family act this way towards one another. Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore.

           The library is a few feet across from the platform. I went inside and logged in on a computer. It was time to make my own sign. Before I began to type I said a prayer asking that God’s will be done.  My sign read,

“I love ALL QUEERS.

I once was a lesbian.

God had a different plan.

Jeremiah 29:11

New International Version (NIV)

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

I printed it and headed back out to the crowd. I walked directly onto the platform and held my sign high over my head with both hands. I moved it from side to side slowly so that people could read it. My font was small so the crowd had to deliberately look at it to read what it said. A young lady asked me,

“So you’re not a lesbian anymore?”

I said, “No, but I’m not straight either.”

“What do you think God’s plan for you is?”

“To submit my life to him because I was comfortable doing my own thing. I’m still attracted to women and I might always be but I had to submit to His Will. When I did that, He didn’t change me to be heterosexual; He changed me so that I could be holy. Everyone has to suffer something for Christ, whether it is adultery or fornication, we all have to give up something for Christ and my suffering just happens to be lesbianism.”

Seemingly satisfied with my responses she hid in the crowd and I continued to display my sign. My queer family had already moved from the stage to the crowd and they were grouped together holding a sign that promoted the upcoming drag show. When my classmate from my Queer Identities class read my sign his reaction was humorous. Or perhaps he found me humorous. But I just looked at him and smiled because I had nothing but love to share. On the platform with me one of the men were calling my family out, saying that,

“Your behavior is the exact reason why your city, Sodom and Gomorrah were burned down.”

I didn’t approve of his words. I tried to get his attention and a couple of the people on the platform with me tried to get him to look my way. Finally I got him to glance at my sign. At first he glanced and then rolled his eyes and turned away. Something on my sign caused him to go back and read again and then say,

“Well amen to that.”

I said, “It’s all about love.”

“It’s about repentance.”

“Love is first. Love is first.”

           He began to yell at the crowd again and I raised my sign as high as I could. After a few minutes my arms felt tired and I realized I had accomplished all that I would. I brought my sign down and put it in my Queer Identities binder. I slowly put it into my bag as I watched two girls jump down the throat of the man I had interacted with. One of the students was saying that he is an embarrassment to her religion. She said that what he was doing was not helping anyone but hurting everyone. I could see the tears in her eyes that didn’t take form. The other student was saying that Jesus came to save us so why does this man judge them. I’m not sure why but she began to expose her breasts and the man on the platform put his hand up to block his view of her chest. After seeing that I really had to go. I grabbed my bag. An Asian student asked me,

“Are you about to leave?”

“Yes,” I said. “Do you want to get up here?”

She nodded. I saw the sign in her hand; the words said that God loves everyone.

“That was good of you. That was really brave what you did.”

“Thank you, I really appreciate that.”

           I parted the crowd and didn’t stop until I reached the shuttle stop to take me to my apartment. I called my best friend to tell her what just happened. How Christians were against Christians and gays and non-believers and how it was all saddening. I told her how I took a stand for the first time in my life about what God has been doing in me. I told her that there were no friends of mine in the crowd but there were a handful of people who knew my face or knew of me. That didn’t matter. I felt I had to do something and I did it. I know that it wasn’t in vain. I know that at least people know that God does truly save, if you allow Him to.