Self Care/Shelf Care

 Good morning Carolyn!

Well, I discovered a huge drawback to working from home: the 4am phone call on the office phone. Yeah, an insurance company from Texas who doesn't understand time differences. I didn't answer the phone at the time of course, but boy, did that surprise me.

I got your gifts yesterday and I am tickled raspberry. Which is the color of the drink mixer you sent. And possibly the flavor of some of the vitamins. I'm so grateful. Having a small collection/hoard prepared for post-surgery just lifts my spirits so much. It's another form of self-care. 

Once I saw a Twitter thread and the question was "What's the most Luxe thing in your life?". I wanted to live in that thread it was so wonderful. Because for all the people who mentioned trips to Europe, the majority were talking about silk pajamas or charcuterie boards. The every day self-care that we do to remind ourselves we're worth silky fabrics against our skin, pretty lunches and the pleasure of surroundings that whisper to our souls.

I know that you know what I'm saying. We've sent each other so many pictures of our shelves and our walls. The colors, the dragons, the flowers. The small things that you look at and it's a small breath of pleasure.

Self care (for me) is also a way to gauge my mental health. Putting my moisturizer on in the morning, painting my nails. These are small things but big tells. I'm working hard right now to remember to do my nails and use my skin care products. It's a way to show that I'm taking care of myself. Not doing these small things are sometimes easy ways to see I'm not feeling good. Not taking care of self = not liking self.

It is something I really celebrate that we both do. When you tell me that you prepared a salad with all the ingredients you love, I think Carolyn is caring for herself and I'm so happy. When you talk about your favorite painting on the wall and how it makes you feel, my soul celebrates.

There are so many facets to self care. And it's tied so tightly to our daily mental health. That is something I try to remain aware of and always work on. If your surroundings are neat, your clothes clean, your items put away and all the small things are smoothed down nd not creating jagged surfaces in your brain: then you are truly taking the best care of yourself. It's a good thing to strive for.