Moms Vibe:
By Krystle J. Bailey
Every once in a while, I like to take a break from the lists of things to do and ways to clean the house in order to offer my sisters in motherhood a letter from the heart. As the summer winds down, many of us are feeling a sense of pressure. We still need to check too many items off the summer bucket list while also shifting our thinking to the upcoming school year. With camps ending, trips still on the horizon, and back-to-school shopping around the corner, this time of year can feel overwhelming.
By now, we all know the importance of self-care, but too often, we think of it as trips to the nail salon, spa days, and massages. While those things do count as self-care, I find them to have fleeting results. Over the past several years, I have learned more and more about myself, what brightens my inner light, and what makes me feel at ease.
These practices have become part of my personal self-care. My hair and nails are things I do to feel pretty but what I’ve learned is that self-care is an inside job that is centered on the healing of the heart, mind, and spirit.
Here are a few practices that I use when feeling overwhelmed.
Writing
As a writer, of course, this is my go-to outlet when overwhelm strikes. When I was younger, I used to write in my journal, wondering how it would sound or if one day someone might read it. I’d tell my journal the background story and play-by-play before I got to the emotional aspect of why I was writing as if I intended to publish my journal entry. While writing in all forms is therapeutic, the ability to write freely took some practice. I started scribbling, doodling, and playing with different fonts and words that didn’t necessarily make logical sense but felt good to create. As I began to let go, I truly began to tap into the healing power of writing. I currently have two paper journals, several Google docs titled “journal,” and countless notes on my phone where I record thoughts simply to get them out of my head.
Whether you take time to doodle, make lists, journal, or write letters you’ll never send, the simple act of putting pen to paper is self-care in one of its finest forms. Once the thoughts and emotions are on paper, it’s easier to see them more clearly, create space in your mind, and release thoughts that are no longer serving you. Think of it like purging the junk from your home during a cleaning session, only your mental house is being cleansed. Don’t overthink it. Just pick up the pen (or keyboard) and start writing.
Sound therapy
I recently discovered sound therapy and its incredible healing power. Attending a Sea Goddess Healing Arts event at the Absecon Lighthouse, I was fortunate enough to sit in on a sound bath meditation. Crystal singing bowls were played using the lighthouse as an amplifier as attendees were led through a meditative experience. The sound waves travel throughout your body, bringing harmoney through oscillation that creates a sense of balance, peace, and healing. Since I can’t attend a sound bath on demand (as much as I wish I could), I’ve explored sound healing through music apps such as Spotify. While it’s not the same experience as a live sound bath, the on-demand healing frequencies help me to calm my nervous system and recenter when life feels like it’s spinning off the axis. Tuning forks, ocean drums, and meditative music are other forms of sound therapy to explore.
Audio Books
Until recently, I’ve never been an audiobook listener however, as my life got busier and I found myself with less time to read, I had to be resourceful. When I’m in the car or shower, and I need a moment to recalibrate, I put on a few minutes of whichever audiobook feels good at the moment.
Sometimes I need to get lost in a fiction book that carries me away to another world, and other times, I need to look inward and will listen to a Louise Hay or Nicole LePera book. The aforementioned authors both have written life-changing books that offer small doses of peace when I need it most. Sometimes just the act of doing something for myself for 5 minutes is all I need to feel at ease.
Practice the pause
In Glennon Doyle’s book, Untamed, she talks about the concept of trusting your “inner knowing” and only needing to see the next step. Sometimes life gets cloudy and chaotic, and it’s hard to see the whole picture. That’s when we have the opportunity to practice the pause. Not everything needs our attention immediately, and often times we are running on fumes, operating in a state of “fight or flight.”
Being conscious of when I need to take the back seat in life has served me well on my healing journey. As Glennon Doyle taught me, all I need to know is “the next right thing.” I don’t need to understand life five steps ahead. I simply need to take a pause, a deep breath, and a minute to decide what is my next best move.
I invite you to take a pause. Life as a mom can be chaotic, to say the least. Take a moment to ask yourself what you need next. How can you continue to show up for your kids and your family by first taking care of yourself?
Krystle J Bailey. Multimedia journalist, Author, Poet.
Connect with Krystle on Instagram @thedailybailey5
