It shouldn’t be this hard.

Create self care habits and rituals.

One more time, I have set my intentions to take better care of myself. I’m very good at taking care of other people. But remembering to exercise, eat clean, and REST continues to be difficult.

Sure, I can go along for a while but then life happens and I get off track. Again. Then I have to grieve the time lost, pull myself up and dust myself off, and begin again.

So, here I go. Making a fresh self-care plan and trying to figure out what I need to do to be more likely to stick to it. I WANT to stick to it. Anyone want to join me? Maybe we can encourage each other.

Start date September 1.

Coloring=Mediation

My partner and I have effectively quarantined for 8 1/2 months at this point.  I would love nothing better than to shop for myself, spend a lazy afternoon in Barnes and Noble scanning magazines and books. I want to have breakfast at our favorite diner and have coffee from my favorite shop.  As much as I love my partner, our dogs, and our house, I want to go out again.  I won’t of course.  I understand the reality of the pandemic right outside my door, literally.

Experts often recommend meditation.  I’ve tried and I always fall asleep or my mind becomes even more scattered.

But I have found something that allows my mind to rest. Coloring. I know I have mentioned it before but I feel that I have not recommended it strongly enough.  When I am concentrating on finding every tiny space to color, I let everything else go.  All I think about is the picture and the color.

I admit I like paper and crayon coloring too but I prefer using coloring apps.  Apparently, I am not the only one as there is an amazing array of apps to choose from.  I’ve downloaded probably twenty of them.  But I find myself using the same three.  Happy Color gives me new pictures every day.  My favorites are the ones labeled RARE.  With those pictures, each swipe brings not just a color but designs and shades of the color.  There are never enough but they keep me coming back.  I’m addicted to pictures of rooms and table settings. I am always excited to find several in my morning haul. 

Another is Colorscapes.  As I touch the space I intend to color, I enjoy the puff of blue smoke that lets me know I hit the space.  This is especially helpful when the pieces are very small.I know that I’m finished with a section when no more smoke appears when I touch the page.  Paint By Number is similar to Colorscapes.  It has similar projects but no blue smoke. I have tried others that are beautiful but keep returning to these for some reason. 

I am not sure if it’s  pathetic or a good thing that a puff of blue smoke or swatch of color can leave me feeling happy and peaceful.  Do you have activity that works like meditation for you?