by Karen Lindwall-Bourg | Sep 4, 2020 | Blog, Celebrate Life!, Entrepreneur Endeavors
Proper Self Care and How to Do It Right
Currently, there is a movement toward focusing on self, building self-esteem and more. Unfortunately, these trends can be distorted into a “you-don’t-matter-I-am-the-only-one-that-matters” mode of thinking. But that is not self-care. That is selfishness and contrary to the point and benefits of self-care. Self-care is essential for your health and wellbeing. The right amount and type of self-care enables to give to and love those around you.
Proper Self-Care is NOT
PROPER SELF-CARE IS NOT SELF-INDULGENCE.
You can find a myriad of articles on getting a mani/pedi as a way of practicing self-care. While it is a great way to pamper yourself. It’s not the only way. Proper self-care does not thoughtlessly decide to indulge in whatever you fancy despite its impact on time, your budget, or your family.
And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31
PROPER SELF-CARE IS NOT SELFISH.
Yes, sometimes it means saying no to those who usually get your yes. Consider this, you cannot love the Lord your God with all your soul, mind and strength if you are exhausted by your schedule and commitments. How can you love your neighbor if you haven’t shown your own temple any care with rest and relaxation?
And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. Mark 6:31-32
Self-Care is Biblical
In the above verse from Mark, Jesus and His disciples were so busy they didn’t have enough down time to eat. He encouraged them to go away to a place for rest. I think in this instance desolate meant without throngs of people. In the same chapter, verse 45, Jesus sends the disciples ahead of him on a boat so they can seek rest. Jesus encouraged them toward self-care.
You need rest. No matter your calling, career or responsibilities, you need to take time to rest.
Self-care is a way to get this rest.
The Effective Practice of Self-Care
The point of self-care is to refresh, renew and energize you. It is for rest, reflection and relaxation. Self-care is very individual to each person. Some may find rest in spending time with a spouse while others want to literally be alone on a mountain side. You can determine your best practice of self-care by exploring these questions:
Refresh. What refreshes you? Like a dip into a cool pool of water on a hot day, what makes you feel fresh and clean again? Take time to consider activities which make you feel alive and revived. Is it something physical, spiritual or both? Is it something you do alone or with someone else?
There are times when you just aren’t good at self-care. You get bogged down in your daily duties and obligations. Self-care is an opportunity to renew your spirit and flesh toward those things God has called you to do. It is a time to evaluate, pray and meditate so you can renew your mind toward God. What activities can you take part in to renew your spirit, soul and body?
Even Jesus rested. He was napping on a boat in the middle of a storm. (Read: don’t feel guilty about taking a nap during a difficult time.) You need energy to take care of the people in your life. If you are exhausted and spent physically, spiritually, and mentally you are not offering your best. You are not stewarding the relationships and talents God has given you to the fullest. Take time to find your energy again. For some it might mean a daily nap or going to the gym or both. It could be just taking 20 minutes for yourself to decompress after a hard day. What activities give you energy or give you a boost of energy?
The Most Important Aspect of Self Care
PRAY. PRAY. PRAY.
Jesus was a busy and sought after man. Yet, he found time to go off by himself and pray (Mark 1:35, Luke 5:16, Luke 6:12). Prayer, meditation, quiet-time, devotionals – whatever you call it – is the most important self-care practice you can adopt. It is during these times when you release temporal worries and hear from God about how to be refreshed, renewed and re-energized. Your prayer time is the foundation of self-care.
RETREAT. RETREAT. RETREAT!
Another way to practice self-care is to attend connecting and energizing retreats.
Blessings,
Karen Lindwall-Bourg
“Achieve Levels of Success Worth Celebrating”
*Founder, Karen Bourg Companies http://karenbourg.com
*Owner, President {Inter}National Association of Christian Women Entrepreneurs/International Christian Mompreneur Network http://nacwe.org
*Founder, RHEMA Publishing House http://rhemapublishinghouse.com
*Founder, RHEMA Lakeside Retreat Center https://www.facebook.com/rhemaretreat/
*Founder, RHEMA Counseling Associates http://rhemacounseling.com
About Karen Lindwall-Bourg
Karen Lindwall-Bourg is the President of the {Inter} National Association of Christian Women Entrepreneurs [est. May 2010] and the new President of the International Christian Mompreneur Network [est. July 2010], both at http://nacwe.org . She and the NACWE Operations and Leadership Teams work diligently to provide
· Community
· Networking
· Education
· Missions
opportunities to Christian Women Entrepreneurs, Mompreneurs and Nanapreneurs alike all over the world!
Our Core Values are
· Community – we value Connection, Collaboration and Contribution
· Networking – we value Nurture, New relationships and New and innovative offers
· Education – we value Encouragement, Excellence and Expressiveness, and
· Missions – we value Ministry and Making a difference
Karen is wife to Fred, Mommy to 6 kids and 5 in-loves, Nana to “going-on” 12 grandchildren, and treat provider deluxe for a herd of Great Pyrenees who protect their north TX ranch! She is an entrepreneur coach, author, publisher, retreat hostess and more! Learn more about Mastermind groups and “Celebration” coaching with Karen at http://karenbourg.com .
by Karen Lindwall-Bourg | Sep 4, 2020 | Blog, Celebrate Life!, Entrepreneur Endeavors
3 Major Benefits of Self Care for Entrepreneurs
Self-care is not just a current buzzword. It is also not something to be ignored or brushed off for only a ‘certain’ type of person. Self-care means taking care of yourself. It is not a selfish-it’s-all-about-me kind of thing. The healthiest way to approach self-care is to think of it this way: taking care of yourself –
Body
Emotions
Livelihood
Intellect
Environment
Family/Friends
Spiritual
Your health in all dimensions of wellness will help you take care of others in your life.
When you are on an airplane listening to the safety speech, you are always instructed to put on your mask before you help anyone around you. This aspect of self-care is your way of getting oxygen so you can help anyone who needs your help. Let’s look at the benefits of self-care.
Benefits of Self-Care
BENEFITS OF SELF-CARE = RENEW
And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done.” And there appeared to Him an angel from heaven, strengthening Him. Luke 22:41- 43
Taking time for your personal self-care offers you a time to renew your vision and your passion. Jesus removed himself from his disciples to pray and complete his purpose. He knew the vision for his life, he was right in the middle of all of it. And Jesus, being man, I am sure had lots of the same feelings and emotions we have when we are knee deep in our mission and vision.
When Jesus took the time to separate himself, he was renewed. He prayed earnestly about his fate and was comforted and strengthened for the journey ahead of him. It was not selfish or inappropriate for Jesus to go a ‘stone’s throw’ away to seek his Father. It didn’t derail him or his disciples that he stepped away for a bit. In truth, it renewed his strength.
BENEFITS OF SELF-CARE = REFRESH
Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. Proverbs 4:23
There are so many ways to get refreshed. It can be as simple as a cold shower or as lovely as a visit from a dear friend. Refreshing can come with meditation, napping and adequate nightly sleep. Refreshing is available through resting and relaxing.
However, while taking care of your physical and mental refreshing with your chosen profession, one cannot overlook the importance of spiritual refreshing. Self-care also provides opportunity for spiritual refreshing. Proverbs instructs us to guard our hearts, to take care of our hearts; one of the ways to do this is to mediate on the Word of God – spending time being still and contemplating all that is God and godly.
But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10: 41-12
We are Martha(s) in our frazzled, busy, anxious, troubled and overwhelmed state. We need to settle in and redirect our attention to that good portion which Mary chose. Self-care is choosing to be still and listen to the Lord rather than being busy doing for the Lord.
BENEFITS OF SELF-CARE = REVITALIZE OR ENERGIZE
Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He dismissed the crowds. And after He had dismissed the crowds, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone. Matthew 14:22-23
Jesus and the disciples had been dealing with huge crowds of people. They were feeding them, teaching them and healing them. You know how exhausting this can be if you have ever hosted a party and cooked for more than six people. Could you imagine thousands upon thousands with no notice? Jesus knew his disciples would need a little break. He sent them out in into the boat before him, while he dismissed the crowds. (He was forcing a little self-care on them.)
He also took care of himself by going up on the mountain to pray alone. Self-care helps you get ready for the next thing, be it big or small. Self-care, when done right, is preparation for what is coming. It was after this time of prayer on the mountain that Jesus walked on water. It gives you the time and space to hear and get excited about your passion and purpose.
Dear entrepreneur! Do you remember when you first started doing what God gifted you to do? Can you recall the excitement and contentment you had at the opportunity? Self-care, taking that time apart to pray, renew and refresh, will give you the energy (supernatural and otherwise) to keep going. It is in these times of self-care when you find the strength to “finish the race”. In these overwhelmingly busy times, set aside time to allow God to remind you and rekindle the fire in you.
Self-care is a time to renew, refresh and revitalize your spirit and your body to keep you on the path God has ordained for you.
Need a Venue for Self Care?
Blessings,
Karen Lindwall-Bourg
“Achieve Levels of Success Worth Celebrating”
*Founder, Karen Bourg Companies http://karenbourg.com
*Owner, President {Inter}National Association of Christian Women Entrepreneurs/International Christian Mompreneur Network http://nacwe.org
*Founder, RHEMA Publishing House http://rhemapublishinghouse.com
*Founder, RHEMA Lakeside Retreat Center https://www.facebook.com/rhemaretreat/
*Founder, RHEMA Counseling Associates http://rhemacounseling.com
About Karen Lindwall-Bourg
Karen Lindwall-Bourg is the President of the {Inter} National Association of Christian Women Entrepreneurs [est. May 2010] and the new President of the International Christian Mompreneur Network [est. July 2010], both at http://nacwe.org . She and the NACWE Operations and Leadership Teams work diligently to provide
· Community
· Networking
· Education
· Missions
opportunities to Christian Women Entrepreneurs, Mompreneurs and Nanapreneurs alike all over the world!
Our Core Values are
· Community – we value Connection, Collaboration and Contribution
· Networking – we value Nurture, New relationships and New and innovative offers
· Education – we value Encouragement, Excellence and Expressiveness, and
· Missions – we value Ministry and Making a difference
Karen is wife to Fred, Mommy to 6 kids and 5 in-loves, Nana to “going-on” 12 grandchildren, and treat provider deluxe for a herd of Great Pyrenees who protect their north TX ranch! She is an entrepreneur coach, author, publisher, retreat hostess and more! Learn more about Mastermind groups and “Celebration” coaching with Karen at http://karenbourg.com .
by Karen Lindwall-Bourg | Sep 4, 2020 | Blog, Celebrate Life!, Entrepreneur Endeavors
Recognizing Your Need for Self-Care
How do you know if you need to take a break?
In the helping profession or as a woman entrepreneur it is easy to get overwhelmed and start feeling a little burned out. The trick is to recognize the warning signs and do something before you get to the point of quitting. These are also signs you can look for in your team to prevent their burnout as well. Self-care is the best way to prevent burn out.
Symptoms of Burnout that Point to the Need for Self-Care
- PERFORMING BELOW YOUR NORMAL STANDARDS —
- We all have days when things aren’t as perfect as we want them to be. However, a significant or lasting slip in your normal standards can be a clear warning sign you are worn out and need to schedule some down time.
- INCREASE IN NUMBER OF SICK DAYS, ABSENCES OR TARDINESS —
- This can be a subtle increase over time or come suddenly after a big event. Pay attention to the number of days you aren’t feeling well and how they correspond to things happening in your work. This can also be a passive-aggressive way to show dissatisfaction and fatigue.
- CHANGES IN ATTITUDE TOWARD THE NEGATIVE OR CYNICAL —
- If you find your positive attitude tougher and tougher to maintain, it might be time to consider a time-out to refresh and rest.
- CHANGES IN PROFESSIONAL BOUNDARIES —
- If you notice inappropriate professional boundaries in yourself or your colleagues, it can be a sign self-care is needed. Boundaries tend to be less important when you are tired and just want to get something done.
- SIMPLY STATING YOU FEEL “BURNED OUT” —
- While it may seem obvious, don’t ignore the things you or your team are saying. If you are saying you feel burned out, overwhelmed, stressed out or exhausted, it is a clear warning sign that you need some time to refresh and get re-energized.
What to Do with These Symptoms and the Need for Self-Care
- Give yourself (or your team) a place to talk about how you feel, why you feel that way, and a self-care plan so you can get back on track with your purpose and vision.
- Enlist some accountability for yourself as you follow through on your self-care plan.
- Address the issue regarding poor performance due to lack of self-care (i.e. professional standards, boundaries and attendance)
- Find a self-care partner – someone you can buddy up with to make sure you both take care of yourselves and stay on track in your businesses and lives.
- BE still and pray. Prayer is the most basic and effective self-care practice available.
- Remember – True rest and peace come from God!
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:26-30)
Need More Help with the Need for Self-Care and Burnout?
Blessings,
Karen Lindwall-Bourg
