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Here is an invitation to begin the process of training ourselves to listen to what we need. Start by forgiving yourself for not including you in your caregiving and with self-compassion and curiosity explore the following symptoms of self-neglect to see if you are currently suffering from them. I call these symptoms of self-neglect our red flags to remind us that we need to nurture and rejuvenate ourselves. Do you recognize any of your red flags from the symptoms below? bothering you, help you calm down, and allow you to respond rather than react from your frustration. The present moment frees us from past regrets and future anxieties and supports us in connecting to how we feel and what we need. Recognizing what you need is the first step in transforming your habit of self-neglect. Give yourself permission to connect to your breath throughout the day.
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Symptom # 1 IRRITABILITY AND IMPATIENCE
Do you ever find yourself feeling irritable and impatient? Often when we have given more than we have to give, we end up feeling resentful and unappreciated. When this happens we often feel irritable and impatient with others or ourselves. If you find yourself responding impatiently or reacting from a place of frustration, look at the situation and ask yourself if you have given more than you have to give. Then try the following selfnurturing cure:
SELF-NURTURING CURE:
Connect to Your Breath
Your best and most accessible tool for calming yourself is your breath. If you are feeling irritable, impatient or anxious, pause, and take a deep breath. Focus on your breath moving in and out for a few rounds. Connecting consciously to the present moment through your breath will give you a moment to pause, identify what is really
Symptom # 2 CHRONIC STRESS AND OVERWHELM
Do you find yourself feeling stressed and overwhelmed by all of the responsibilities in your life? Often when we have nurtured everyone in our lives but ourselves, we end up
“ TRAIN YOURSELF TO LISTEN TO THAT SMALL VOICE THAT TELLS US WHAT’ S IMPORTANT AND WHAT’ S NOT.”
– Sue Grafton
feeling chronically stressed, overwhelmed, and exhausted. When we have no reserve of energy, any new challenge can feel overwhelming and we get hooked in a stress cycle that impacts our bodies, minds, and emotions. This chronic stress leads to the next symptom of self-neglect – illness, and
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