Coach Louise Hurwitz is teaching free classes on resiliency and self-care in Chester this month. (Photo by Amy Porter)
CHESTER – Think of yourself as paddling in a boat. When the water’s high, it’s smooth sailing. When it gets low, rocks and other impediments make it harder to paddle. Now think of those things that drag your boat down; and what makes it float. Adding to the latter in a purposeful way every day, even for a few minutes a day, can be the key to self-care over the holidays and all year round, according to coach and counselor Louise Hurwitz.
At a workshop on resiliency hosted by the Southern Hilltowns Adult Education Center in Chester on Monday, Hurwitz said taking care of yourself doesn’t negate that life is full of challenges. She said it’s important to figure out strategies to help us stay afloat and replenish us on a daily basis.
Hygiene and appearance; sleep and relaxation; good eating habits; exercise, healthy leisure, inner peace and spirituality, self-improvement, health management, and self-regulating alcohol and substance use (including coffee and chocolate), are all areas that Hurwitz said if invested in would increase our well-being.
Going around the room, people volunteered how they replenish themselves in one area, and also one thing they’ve wanted to do and haven’t yet taken the time.
“We all carry that inner critic; one of the things that makes it hard to take care of ourselves and practice self-compassion,” Hurwitz. She said being kind to ourselves can even be acknowledging when we’ve screwed up, and saying, “I’m worthy anyway.”
“We can’t be compassionate toward other people if we’re not compassionate towards ourselves,” Hurwitz said.
One simple way to focus on ourselves is to take a few moments to stretch, do some deep breathing and muscle relaxation, all of which can be done while sitting in a chair. Hurwitz took the class through some simple exercises, including Chair Yoga stretches, three-part breathing, and deep relaxation that can be done in five minutes.
Hurwitz also passed around a list of tiny self-care activities that if added to our lives take little time, at little cost, and would help to replenish us. She recommended picking one from each category, and including them in your life this week.
Tiny Self-Care Ideas for the Mind
Start a compliments file – document the great things people say about you to read later.
Scratch off a lurker on your to-do list – something that’s been there for ages and you’ll never do.
Take another route to work – mixing up your routine in small ways creates new neural pathways in the brain to keep it healthy.
Pay complete attention to something you usually do on autopilot – like brushing your teeth, driving, eating, or performing your morning routine.
Goof around for a bit – schedule in five minutes of play, several times throughout the day.
Fix a small annoyance at home that’s been bugging you – a button lost, a drawer that’s stuck or a light bulb that’s gone.
Punctuate your day with a mini-meditation with one minute of awareness of your thoughts, feeling and sensations; one minute of focused attention on breathing, and one minutes of awareness of your body as a whole.
Unplug for an hour – Switch everything to airplane mode and free yourself from the constant binge of social media.
Edit your social media feeds, and take out any negative people. You can just “mute” them, you don’t have to delete them.
Tiny Self-Care Ideas for the Body
Oxygenate by taking three deep breaths.
Get down and boogie – put on your favorite record and dance.
Stretch out the kinks – if you’re at work, you can always head to the bathroom to avoid strange looks.
Run for a few minutes – or go up and down the stairs three times.
Make one small change to your diet for the week. Drink an extra glass of water each day, or have an extra portion of veggies at each meal.
Be still. Sit somewhere soothing, and be quiet for a few minutes.
Get three minutes of sun – especially if you’re in a cold climate.
Inhale an upbeat smell – try peppermint to suppress food cravings and boost mood and motivation.
Have a good laugh. Read a couple of comic strips that you enjoy.
Take a quick nap. Ten to twenty minutes can reduce your sleep deficit and leave you ready for action.
Tiny Self-Care Ideas for the Soul
Imagine you’re your best friend. If you were, what would you tell yourself right now? Say it.
Use your commute for a Beauty Scavenger Hunt. Find five unexpected beautiful things on your way to work.
Help someone. Carry a bag, open a door, or pick up an extra carton of milk for a neighbor.
Check in with your emotions. Sit quietly and just name without judgment what you’re feeling.
Stroke a pet – if you don’t have one, go to the park and find one (ask first!)
Make a small connection. Have a few sentences of conversation with someone in customer service, such as a sales assistant or barista.
Splurge a little – buy a small luxury item as a way of valuing yourself
Have a self-date – spend an hour alone doing something that nourishes you (reading, your hobby, visiting a museum or gallery)
Take a home spa. Have a long bath or shower, sit around in your bathrobe and read magazines.
Plan a two-day holiday for a weekend. Turn off your phone, tell people you’ll be away, and do something new in your own town.
Hurwitz also led the class in a prayer of loving-kindness for ourselves, our loved ones, and the world.
As a personal coach and 20-year faculty member in higher education, Hurwitz teaches full courses and workshops on developing resiliency to faculty and students in area colleges and high schools. She will also be offering four more free classes at the Village Enterprise Center, 26A Main St., Chester for SHAEC in the coming weeks.
Cultivating Signature Strengths will be held Monday, Nov. 19, 6 to 8 p.m.; Developing Positive Thinking Habits, Part 1 and 2 will be on Monday, Nov. 26 and Monday, Dec. 3, 6 to 8 p.m., and Resiliency through Mindfulness and Stress Reduction will be held Monday, Dec. 10, 6 to 8 p.m.
Pre-registration is encouraged for these free workshops, as space is limited. To sign up online, and to learn about more free adult education offerings from SHAEC, go to www.shaec.org, email [email protected], or call 413-354-1055.
