|
By: Cheyenne Taylor  Why is it that when we make our mental to-do list each day, we never add taking care of ourselves to that list? Thinking about yourself is something that is often painted in a negative light with terms like self-absorbed and self-centered coming to mind, but what about self-care? We tend to hold ourselves to higher standards than others. We make ourselves the exception to the golden rule, “treat others how you would like to be treated.” When we should really treat ourselves how we treat others. Think of how much happier you would be if you put as much energy into yourself as you put into your job or your friends and family.
Taking care of yourself should not be a second thought or something that is planned last. In the long run, you benefit so much more when you take care of yourself. You will feel and look better, and your attitude will improve. As a result, your social and professional life will also improve because you will have added something to combat the daily stressors you come into contact with. Self-care does not have to be a hassle, but it should become a part of your daily routine like taking a shower or brushing your teeth.
By: Savannah Tipton  Self-compassion may sound like it should be intuitive or even easy to practice. Unfortunately, it can be the opposite. We get busy, overwhelmed, and generally do not take time to check-in with ourselves. What is self-compassion? Self-compassion is the practice of taking a moment to think of our life from a different perspective. To focus on positive inner thoughts and recognize our strengths. It “entails being
warm and understanding toward ourselves when we suffer, fail, or feel inadequate, rather than ignoring our pain or flagellating ourselves with self-criticism (1).” This practice can be beneficial to anyone but even more important for survivors of trauma. A survivor of domestic violence or sexual assault may develop negative thoughts about themselves. These negative thoughts can include feeling worthless, shameful, embarrassed, or perhaps believing they could have stopped or prevented the assault(s). In some cases, victims also suffer from verbal and emotional abuse that breaks down their self-confidence. A traumatic event of any kind can turn someone’s life upside down. In the aftermath, we have to build ourselves back up. A survivor should practice compassionate self-talk, such as learning to say goodbye to, “I’m not enough,” and “I deserve this.” You do not deserve abuse of any kind. No one deserves to experience domestic violence or sexual assault and you are more than enough. Start challenging these thoughts and replacing them with positive ones. Are these thoughts true or are you saying it because that is a default? Ask yourself what you would say to a friend or family member if you were to see them suffer and offer yourself the same compassion. Self-compassion takes time and practice. It does not happen overnight. Healing takes time, but it will come. When we blame ourselves, we assume we have control over what happens to us. When in reality, we cannot control other’s thoughts or actions. What we do control is how we live our lives, what we do when faced with trauma, and where we want to go. Coping with trauma can be difficult to handle on your own; do not hesitate to seek professional help. To speak with an advocate and learn more about services at Beacon of Hope Crisis Center please call our crisis line (317) 731-6140. (1) Kristin Neff, Ph.D. <https://self-compassion.org/the-three-elements-of-self-compassion-2/> |
About this blog
This blog is about our domestic and sexual violence crisis center, Beacon of Hope. We hope you find it full of helpful information, motivation, creativity, serious facts and positivity. We hope that it will help you know what is happening in our center, in our community and with our events. We hope you follow our blog in support of our organization and our mission. Archives
October 2024
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed
|
|
CAREER opportunities © 2024 Beacon of Hope Crisis Center Privacy Policy Accessibility Statement Training Portal Login |