Habit #2 Self Care Challenge: Create your safe space for internal work

Welcome, welcome!

It's day two of the 5-Day Self Care Challenge! Below is the video and summary of today's habit tip.

I appreciate you taking time out for yourself today. It's very important. And you deserve to be here. This is right where you're supposed to be today.

As part of my growth after I wrote my book, I really started doing a deep dive into self care. And I mean self care beyond exercise, massages and pedicures.

As part of this challenge, we are addressing the five pillars of the Momentum Revolution program; the heart, mind, soul, body, and relationships.

Today’s habit involves creating a personal workspace for focus, productivity, and soul work.

Our lives are so busy and busy in different ways. Each one of us has our own crazy schedule. But a lot of times, we get to the end of the day without having done a thing for ourselves. We're still in the yoga pants that we threw on in the morning, before we take the kids to school, hop on the eight o'clock meeting or run to the grocery store for creamer. Phew!

We just jump into the day, and we don't take time for ourselves.

“When you start loving yourself and respecting your time and energy, things will change. Get to know your worth, and your value will go up.” ― Germany Kent

As we mature, we need to understand the importance of giving ourselves daily self care. In my book, I interview Loretta, who shared with us that she has the habit of going to what she calls her workshop. This is the name she has given her safe space and it's actually quite a lovely space.

In her home office, she has a rocking chair in front of a fireplace. The chair faces away from her desk so she's not thinking about work as she's sitting there. She usually has a book waiting, or maybe the audible version of The Secret, one of her favorite books.

But it's a safe place that is just for her where she can workshop an idea or delve into some new learning - a new book, a new experience.

Do you have a safe place like that for yourself?

A workshop is usually defined as a period of discussion or practical work on a particular subject, where a group of people are trying to gain knowledge or share their experience. It can also mean seminar or meetings.

But what I'm talking about is where you go to solo workshop:

• Your ideas for your life purpose
• Your dreams
• List things that you want to accomplish
• To contemplate your life purpose and how you can make a difference in the world
• Creating items such as writing or poetry
• Reflections or meditations

Sometimes it's uncomfortable for people to take that time for themselves. They feel like that the world will see it as wasted time or that they're not doing what they should be doing for the family. There's always something you could be doing for someone else.

It is really important to create a space where you have the time to work on yourself. And the first step to identifying this workshop, this physical place needs to be safe. For most of you, it can be a place in your home, a study room or office.

If you don't have a place in your home, a few ideas to try are:

• Go to a library and and ask for a quiet reading room
• Go to your church and ask your church leadership if there's a new Sunday school class
• Is there a small chapel at your church that goes unused during the week
• A park close by with a sheltered bench

It needs to be a habit to go to a physical place that represents this time for you to be still, listen to your heart and to follow your instincts.

One important aspect of a safe space or workshop is that it becomes a place to display or keep your writing, your work, your journal or a diary. Communicating to your family, roommate or others that you hold that place sacred.

Not only do you physically have the habit of going to that place, but your belongings, your thoughts, and everything you're creating when you're in creative mode, are also safe.

The workshop is also a place to prepare for meditation and reflection. Having a floor pillow, a blanket and your earbuds for guided meditation.

My friend, Caren, calls her workshop a nest. In her bedroom, she has created this safe place for her to do her reading, praying and her meditating. She has a space where things that are dear to her are displayed. She places these precious items out so every time she looks at them, she feels happy. She also has an electric tea kettle in the space which reminds her of her travels to Europe.

Since retirement, my mom has turned her home office into a safe haven. She has two chairs - one of which is shared with her pup Sadie (unless I stop by). Within reach, she has her devotionals, her Bible study materials and her crocheting projects. As she sits there, she feeds her spirit with her reading and she gives back to the world with her prayer shawl ministry. And I have one of these shawls in my own safe space workshop.

When I wrap that shawl around me and sit in my white comfy chair, it's a signal to my body that I am here to do work. My body knows it's time to relax and my soul settles in. I meditate to prepare and then I get to do this thing that I love - my healing, my learning, and my growing.

Working from home.

My coach told a story the other day about a man who began to work from home during the pandemic. It was quite the adjustment for his family so the family had to work out how to make it work.

They came up with the idea that Dad would put on a signature baseball cap when he went to work mode. That became his signature baseball cap for his clients, people that he worked with and also a signal to the family that he was in his space to work.

That hat represented his quiet zone, his safe zone. And when he took that hat off, at the end of the day, or during lunch, the family knew - Dad's home, dads here, dads available. His wife knew she could talk to her husband about normal daily things. There was a recognition that he was doing his work.

Here are some ideas for items to have in your safe space workshop:

• Having a place to light a candle
• Have an adjustable lamp so it's not bright and avoid overhead lighting
• Have a special water bottle or teapot
• Have a journal and a pen.
• Have a blanket, scarf or shawl
• Have a talisman, something that represents travel or even a goal.

Lastly, if you don't live by yourself, if you have a roommate, children, or a partner, it's important to have a talk with them and explain when you are in the nest, you are doing your work. Communicate your need so that this time is sacred for everyone involved. It can also be a great example of boundaries for the young people in your life.

You're at a point in your life, where the work that you're doing gets deeper and deeper and deeper. Your loved ones will benefit from the time you give yourself.

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Warm regards,

Kelly - C.K. Collins Author, Coach, Podcaster, Speaker

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