Hey there!
Have you ever experienced a time when someone suggested (or even, GASP, admonished) that you may benefit from a self-care routine? Did you happen to have the thought, “what would that even look like?” or “I don’t have time for that!” Or maybe you realized that it would be helpful for you, but you didn’t know where to start!
I thought it would be helpful to provide you with a 31-day Self-Care Challenge that could help you explore some practices that may be helpful for your routine.
First, I thought I would touch base about why we even need such a thing. Here’s why.
I’ve been in this journey of parenting children from hard places since 2011 and what I have come to realize that as I am working on creating the most healing and healthy environment for my children to be able to recover from their trauma, I am experiencing secondary or vicarious trauma. When we are attuned and connected to people in our life, our mirror neurons and plain ol’ humanity share in their suffering as they are trying to heal. This isn’t “bad boundaries” – that’s a whole other show. This is just being a person who has empathy and chooses to participate in the healing process because that is for what we are made. We are best when we are connected. We are best when we share burdens. We are best when we hold hope for others. We are best when we receive the same from those around us.
But you know what?
It takes a toll.
So, just like I’ve been talking about for the last few months, Keeping Your Heart is all about how to stay in the space of keeping the heart engaged, instead of letting it disconnect and disengage from others.
Please feel free to download this Keeping Your Heart – Self Care Challenge 2019 and participate in the March 2019 drawing for a self-care mini-retreat. You can see the Rules down below and I’m hopeful that you’ll discover one or more practice that will help expand your capacity, bring you some respite, and stave off caregiver burnout and fatigue.
I can’t wait to hear from you and see your posts! Please leave me any questions below or contact me at renae@renaemdupuis.com and I look forward to connecting with you.
Rules for the Drawing
Each time you post a picture or share a written experience on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, or in the comments section of renaemdupuis.com using the hashtags #keepingyourheart #renaemdupuis #selfcarechallenge2019 and tagging @keepingyourheart you’ll get an entry into a drawing that will occur on or before April 2, 2019. Make sure your Social Media platform is public (meaning that I can see the post) in order for your share to count as an entry.
Legal stuff because the world is messed up – These suggestions for the Self-Care Challenge do not guarantee any specific outcome for any specific person and may or may not have the desired effect on a person’s mental, physical, spiritual, relational, or general health. Keeping Your Heart and Renae M. Dupuis are not liable for any damages or loss experienced by any entity who participates in any or all of the suggested self-care practices. All participation is voluntary.