The term “Self Care” has been thrown around a lot lately and for good reason: people are stressed, over-worked, and not sleeping nearly enough. We’re regularly flirting with the cliff side of busy and burnt out. We’re not sure what sustainability even means, let alone sustainable writing.
The problem is that sometimes self care becomes just another item on our never ending to-do list that then hangs over our heads. When we finally make time to read a book (check), go on a walk (check), and take a bubble bath (check), we’re exhausted.
Now I love the idea of self care.
I have a list of self care strategies that I try to practice regularly. But sometimes we take the concept a bit too far.
Checking more items off our to do lists won’t solve our problem.
Our problem is in our life patterns- and adding more tasks to our list won’t fix that.
And that’s why sustainability is important, because that’s the pattern we need in our lives.
Sustainable is defined as “a method of… using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged.”
We are our own resources.
Our bodies, our emotional well-being, our health- these are resources that are not being protected, leaving us at risk of being damaged.
So what does it mean to live sustainable writing lives?
I’m glad you asked. Like many things, it looks different for everyone so we’re not looking for specific rules.
At its core, sustainable living is about focusing on investing in what’s important to us and being cautious about expending time and energy elsewhere. It’s about protecting and caring for our mental and physical well-being.
So what’s important to you?
What does your body, soul, and mind need in order to function well?
Do you feel balanced, healthy, and well?
Maybe there are some things we need to cut out of our lives to simplify our schedules. Maybe we need to restructure how we use our energy and time so we aren’t always exhausted and mentally spent.
Our writing is important, sure, but wellness is vital not only for our creative endeavors but also for everything we do and are.
As we think about wellness and self care, let’s focus on how we can be building sustainable and healthy habits into our lives.
Let’s live well. <3
How are you doing today? Do you think your habits (writing and otherwise) are healthy and sustainable?
