SELF-CARE FOR THE CAREGIVER

Who taught you how to wash your hands? Interesting question...yes?...no?...maybe?

When it comes to physical hygiene most of us remember who taught us how to bathe, brush our teeth, wash our clothes, and clean the house. As an adult, you have automated these habits and you do them with ease. This is because somewhere along the early development of your life there were people invested in teaching you how to care for your physical hygiene. Regarding emotional hygiene, we cannot quite remember being taught how to care for ourselves. What is the emotional hygiene equivalent of washing your hands?

Emotional Hygiene With Waringa Wangema

Breathing. When you include breathing exercises in your daily routine you are telling your brain to calm down. That, in the course of your caregiving work which is often tiring, allconsuming and thankless, breathing reminds your brain and body that you too, matter.

Our breath is always with us.

As long as you are breathing, you are alive I would therefore like to invite you to practice this simple breathing exercise. Look around and note five things you can see and close your eyes. Bring your attention to your ears and note three things that you can hear. Come to your nose and note two things you can smell. Think about your tongue and sense one thing you can taste Bring your attention to your hands and feet and feel the temperature Begin counting from one to ten As you inhale count one...as you exhale count two. Continue until you get to ten and start again from one. Do this as many times as you would like Once you are done come back to your feet and hands. Then to your tongue...then your nose...ears and finally open your eyes

Carry this breathing exercise everywhere you go Remember the exercise is yours so you can adjust it as you see fit. Caregivers need care too. As the world is figuring out how to accommodate our needs, start with yourself

Waringa is a Mental Health Educator and Health Coach who is passionate about teaching you how to live sustainably by using education and imparting practical and easy to use wellness tools. Reach out to me on wagemawaringa@gmail.com

+254 720 837204

Instagram: @wellnesswithwaringa

For further support in integrating your self-care practice, purchase the “Self-care made Simple” ebook @ KES 1,500 It is inclusive of a free 45-minute coaching consultation with me to help you figure out where to start and how to sustain your self-care practice

+254 719571770