Susan1 speaks about putting your needs first.
Transcript
I think women have a tendency to be caretakers you know? Being a nurse of course puts me at a higher risk for taking care of other people. So that was a huge shift for me, learning to love myself. To be good to myself, put my own needs first. And that’s very difficult I think for most women, but certainly if you have that personality to be a caregiver [inaudible] giver then it’s going to be a little bit more of a challenge to do that. And that was one of the things that was difficult for me. Was to put my own needs first and know that I’m not being selfish about it. That it’s called self-care or self-love, but you have to do it. Because first of all you’re not going to be any good to anybody else if you don’t take care of yourself.
So, I think it’s more of a challenge also for women who are parents. Because you know, you feel like your family has to come first. But you are also no good to your family unless you take care of your own needs first. So it’s important that you have a lot of support around you. Whether it be a spouse, or a family member’s. And when there’s children that you also have to take care of, you know you need that extra support. Because they have to step up and take some of the role of parenting on. So that you can do some self-care.
You have to find I think what works for you to stay mentally OK you know? I found water fountains you know? Hearing the fall of – the flow of water very therapeutic you know? Some people you know want to do different things right? They want to be outside, hug a tree. Nature is very powerful. When I was waiting for transplant I had healing touch performed on me regularly and that helped give me that increased energy. I was like a level 1 healing therapy person myself, but I was connected to other people in the community. And even when I was living in the coronary ICU for those six weeks, the Healing Touch Society or Network had people in [the city] come to my ICU bed and do it as well. And it worked.
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