#52SmallThings: A Weekly Self-Care Challenge

Did you know that there are 7 different types of rest? Depending on what your body needs can help determine what type of rest would benefit you the most.

Here are the 7 types of rest:

🛏️ Physical rest: This type of rest is for your body from strenuous physical activities. Some examples of physical rest can include napping, relaxing, sleeping, and even massages or yoga.

🧠 Mental rest: Rest for your mind is important especially for those who experience racing thoughts or have trouble sleeping. Taking breaks, journaling, or other types of mental health self-care will allow you to mentally rest.

🤯 Emotional rest: To emotionally rest is to allow yourself to be real and authentic with others as well as yourself. Emotional rest gives you the time and space to feel your feeling and openly express them.

👃👂Sensory rest: Everywhere we look there is some type of sensory stimulation like TVs, phone screens, bright lights, and music to name a few. Sometimes we need rest, a break, and time to ourselves from all the outside stimuli that may overwhelm our senses.

🎨 Creative rest: For our creative minds out there, this rest is for you! To achieve creative rest is to take the pressure "to do" from yourself. Creative rest can look like taking a step back from projects or problem solving, and sitting in nature appreciating what you see around you.

👪 Social rest: This type of rest requires you to understand how you function around others. Do you gain energy from social interactions or does it drain you? Realizing your needs in social settings can help you to make decisions around how frequent and for how long you spend in crowds or other social spaces. This doesn't necessarily mean you have to separate yourself from others, but more so how and when you spend your time.

🕊️🧘 Spiritual rest: Spiritual rest relates to our connection and relationship with something deeper and greater than ourselves. This rest can look like intentional time in meditation, prayer, community building or other practices that give us life.

What type of rest do you need this weekend?

Want to know more about the 7 types of rest, check out this article here:
The 7 Kinds of Rest You Actually Need

#52SmallThings #CheckInWithMe #Selfcare #MentalHealth #Disability #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #RareDisease #Anxiety #Depression
#Autism #Parenting #PTSD #BorderlinePersonalityDisorder #BipolarDisorder #Fibromyalgia #Lupus #MultipleSclerosis #Migraine #Spoonie

When you live with a health condition, work or attend school every day, and/or have a boatload of responsibilities (like a family!), sometimes saying "no" is imperative. Those two little letters can help you preserve your very valuable energy, and allow yourself more time and space to do what’s best. Saying "no" is a form of self-care and can definitely be necessary in certain circumstances! 👏

Mighty staffer @sparklywartanks says she’s saying “no” to perfectionism and overworking herself. She wants to take her time and do her best.

What about you? What are you saying "no" to?

#52SmallThings #CheckInWithMe #Selfcare #MentalHealth #Disability #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #RareDisease #Anxiety #Depression
#Autism #Parenting #PTSD #BorderlinePersonalityDisorder #BipolarDisorder #Fibromyalgia #Lupus #MultipleSclerosis #Migraine #Spoonie

We don’t know about everyone else, but sometimes it doesn’t feel like there’s enough time in a day to get everything done, let alone practice self-care. More time in your day (we hope it actually comes true!) — even just 30 minutes — can provide the opportunity to take a break, watch a quick episode of your favorite show, or even indulge in a power nap if you find those helpful.

If you were able to get an extra 30 minutes today, how would you spend it?

Share in the comments below! ⬇️

#52SmallThings #CheckInWithMe #Selfcare #MentalHealth #Disability #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #RareDisease #Anxiety #Depression
#Autism #Parenting #PTSD #BorderlinePersonalityDisorder #BipolarDisorder #Fibromyalgia #Lupus #MultipleSclerosis #Migraine #Spoonie

When we use the term "self-care," we may understand it to loosely mean the practice of setting time and energy aside for ourselves and our needs in order to promote wellness and manage our health. This may look different for everyone depending on how they define what works best for them, but in reality, actually engaging in self-care may be roadblocked by unavoidable or unforeseen circumstances.

What are your thoughts on prioritizing self-care? Is it easy for you? What kind of roadblocks are in your way?

#52SmallThings #CheckInWithMe #Selfcare #MentalHealth #Disability #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #RareDisease #Anxiety #Depression
#Autism #Parenting #PTSD #BorderlinePersonalityDisorder #BipolarDisorder #Fibromyalgia #Lupus #MultipleSclerosis #Migraine #Spoonie

We’ve talked a lot this week about writing our own poetry (we loved reading your words, you brave and creative souls!), but what about reading poetry? That practice can be just as powerful as the creation.

To end our challenge, let’s share the poems that have changed our lives, worldviews, perspectives, and emotions.

#52SmallThings #CheckInWithMe #Selfcare #MentalHealth #Disability #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #RareDisease #Anxiety #Depression
#Autism #Parenting #PTSD #BorderlinePersonalityDisorder #BipolarDisorder #Fibromyalgia #Lupus #MultipleSclerosis #Migraine #Spoonie