In late February of this year, Vanessa and I crammed into a vehicle to quickly snap a photo for another MeL minute post on road trip resources before rushing off to the remainder of our 12-hour work-day. Surprisingly, it was taken B.C.-19 (before COVID-19). Little did we know that more challenges than just simply surviving a family road trip during spring break would soon emerge. In writing about self-care this month, we think this picture is even more appropriate than before. While your outward demeanor might not look like our photo, we are guessing there has been more than one internal moment in which you may have felt intense stress. And, if you have looked like us, you are not alone. It is our sincere hope that you will carve out time for yourself on a regular basis. Once again, MeL has just what you need to rest, relax and just be.
Get Cozy
If you are new to the whole self-care concept and aren’t sure where to start, never fear! Make Yourself Cozy A Guide for Practicing Self-Care by Katie Vaz is available as an eBook via MeL eJournals by typing the keyword “self-care”. This delightful little gem has recipes for creating cozy spaces and experiences along with quick ideas such as picking or buying some flowers to brighten your day, listening to tunes while sipping a warm beverage, writing prompts, and opportunities to draw.
Get Creative
Dr. Brené Brown, an incredible qualitative researcher and author of numerous books on the concepts of resiliency, vulnerability, and shame, discovered some of the common attributes in people who overcame tremendous hardship and yet are, as she describes, whole-hearted. You can see her original Ted Talk on YouTube. One of the common attributes of these whole-hearted individuals was their practice of being creative. Dr. Brown stresses that it isn’t the end product that matters the most. It is the actual practice of engaging in creating something. Even the most craft challenged, self-described non-creative people can gain inspiration from MeL’s DIY section offering the Hobbies and Crafts Reference Center and Home Improvement Resource Center. I am always looking for something fun to do and found some amazing ideas on papercrafts including a book called Interactive Mini Scrapbooks by Kathy Orta and an article on building a ladder for a home library. This is especially intriguing to me as I have the legs of a turtle and the arms of a T-rex!
Explore on Your Own
Take a few moments and explore MeL for yourself. Just the act of doing something for no other reason than to feed your curiosity is soothing in and of itself. Most important of all, remember that you are not alone and that self-care isn’t selfish. Take care everyone!
1. Keeping a COVID Journal: Are you writing about your experiences living through the pandemic? Learn technique to increase the impact of your written memories from the popular American author Stephen King.
KING, STEPHEN. "On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft." Permalink retrieved from MeLCat Sept 29, 2020.
2. Self-care and Healing from Hobbies and Crafts Reference Center: Art therapists use creative expression to help people work through grief and loss. Art, journaling, and other craft projects allow us to explore our creative spirit in a personal way with a tangible end result. Even coloring is satisfying!
GREEN, GAIL. “The Healing Power Of Crafting.” Scrap & Stamp Arts, vol. 17, no. 1, Feb. 2015, pp. 53–59. EBSCOhost, Permalink retrieved from EBSCOhost on MeL.org Sept 29, 2020.
Brought to you by the MeL Team and MeL’s guest authors, Heather Wood-Gramza and Vanessa Walstra.
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