![]() ![]() Just a few minutes of hearing their voices and sharing my thoughts settle me. Of course, when I have the time, I like to add in stretching, yoga and just talking to my parents, other family members and friends. Whenever I start to struggle with my mental health, I look to do more of these things. When I feel my mental health is strong, I realize I am doing these things. Hina: As I get older, I find myself returning to these basic life ingredients for my own well-being: moving my body, breathing, getting enough sleep, putting my phone down, and eating more fruits and vegetables. As a therapist and a parent, my pause rituals have served as a sacred space for me. Building time for fun and play is also something that I see as self-care. I go for a walk alone at a fixed time every day, meditate and listen to soothing sounds in the morning, take a 15-minute power nap (more if I can) and spend time reading non-fiction. The key is to focus on just one thing when engaging in these self-soothing practices and to build it into the day, even if it means 10 minutes on a very busy day. I came up with this term after I struggled with burnout about 10 years ago. Sonali: The time I take out for myself is what I call my 'Pause Rituals' – a conscious pause in the day followed by rituals that are self-soothing at a physical, mental and social level. Turning small practices into rituals takes time and at the same time it's an investment towards our mental well-being. Be gentle with yourself and others as you begin to start your self-care journey. It's a big step towards self-compassion and resilience. Sonali: If you haven't started yet, then now is always a good time to make space for self-care. But self-care can also mean asking for help when you need it at home, at work, from family and sometimes from therapists or other mental health clinicians. ![]() Hina: Self-care is something that can be done a few minutes at a time, it is like a habit that takes some effort to create, but then is always there with you. And caring for ourselves underscores for our children the importance of self-care while also showing them how it's done. When we care for ourselves, we are better able to care for our children. Lisa: Very often, I think parents assume that taking time for themselves means that they are taking time away from their children. If you haven't started yet, then now is always a good time to make space for self-care. ![]()
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