Looking After Yourself

Over the last few months I’ve largely resisted jumping on the planning, pivoting, change everything pandemic reactions – opting instead to hold space for clients – especially those in health care, to look at what’s actually working for people and to focus on the things I can directly make a difference to.

So what?

The thing I’ve most learned, (both personally and through my work), is that the single most important survival strategy right now is looking after yourself, mentally, physically and financially.

No Sh*t, right!

The thing is, most of us know this and many of us don’t do a great job of prioritising our own wellbeing, thinking we’ll get to it when we have time, when we are a bit more financially secure, when everyone else is sorted and so on and so on.

That’s possibly ok in the short term, but as businesses, freelancers, carers, we are in this for the long haul. We are not about to flick a switch on 1st January 2021 and it will all be over, good riddance to 2020 and move on. Much as we want it to be – it isn’t going to be like that.

We are right in the mess in the middle – the acute unknown crisis is past, there is some light at the end of the tunnel, but we are still digging our way out; resolution and making peace with what we have experienced is some way off.

In terms of mental wellbeing, I have held on to three things, permissions if you like, this year:

1. It’s okay not to be ok

2. It’s okay to hope

3. It’s okay to plan for the future

Each of these help you to deal with the uncertainty, hardship, fear and loss many of us have experienced this year – each of these give you permission to be kinder to yourself, to put your effort and energy into things you actually want and to focus on what you can impact.

I’ve been running a series or workshops in healthcare around surviving the mess in the middle – both psychologically and practically. While I’ve been doing this, it struck me - this is mostly a human thing, not profession specific.

So, I have decided to run a free online class for you on 15th December at 7.30pm – this will be both taught and practical, expect to look at where you are at, what will most help you during this period of transition and where you hope to get to in 2021. Most importantly expect to discover – or reinforce, what you most need to do for yourself to survive the mess in the middle.

If you’d like to join me sign up here and we’ll make sure you have all you need to take part >> https://bravescene.com/mess