Preserving the Cup

Self-care is how you take your power back.

~lalah delia

Self-care is something I have been thinking about a lot lately. 

The dictionary defines self-care as:

NOUN: the practice of taking action to preserve or improve one's own health

It's hard to believe that it’s only been a month since school started.
But it feels like we have been full steam ahead for months now.
Every year it feels as though the back to school season becomes more hectic. 

There's more to do with less time. There's more needs with less resources. 

There's more.

I am an optimist. My husband is a pessimist. 

I always see the glass as half full.

Getting lost is an adventure.

We can always find the fun in a crazy situation. 

I look for the solutions.

It's one of things that makes our partnership work.

It’s also one of the things that causes friction.

But I must admit that this year it's a little harder.

It’s harder to be the one who sees the good in everything.
I’m finding it harder to be the one who finds the solution to the problems, both big and small.
The one who uses humour and a smile to diffuse a conflict between our daughters.
The one who sees the light at the end of the tunnel.

And if I’m being completely honest with myself,

 it’s been harder for a lot longer than just the start of this school year. 

I see so many colleagues looking strained and drained early in the school year.
They are concerned about their students. Maybe it's one in particular. Maybe it's a group.
Maybe it's the relationship and community developing. But they are worried.
There’s a few conversations happening these days among colleagues that don’t include their worries
about their class and they ability to help all the students in their care.

And I'm worried about them. I'm worried about myself. I’m worried about my kids. 

Feeling stretched thin is never a good feeling. I know that at times I take on too much
but for the most part I've gotten much better at saying no to the things that I am not passionate about
and ready to give my whole self to but that doesn't stop people from asking.

The act of having to self-preserve so often can be a drain.

I want to be available to help my colleagues and friends at work. I want to be a sounding board,
a shoulder to lean on, and a friend when they need it. I want to  and need to be available to
support my two young daughters. They are starting the school year at a new school and are
navigating new friendships, a new before/after care. A new bus routine.
New expectations. New worries. 

Anxiety and worry has been a part of our family for many years now. It’s so heartbreaking to
watch a child struggle with so many worries on their small shoulders.
We are learning together about
guided meditation, yoga, calm breathing, sensory needs, and more.
But sometimes it still comes crashing down.

There’s still tears.

There’s still nightmares.

There’s always another worry. 

This year, with this climate, is going to be a crash course in self-care.
With so many worries and uncertainties surrounding education and so many educators
feeling pushed beyond their abilities, everyone is going to need to find a way to look for ways to
preserve their cup.
The saying “you can’t pour from an empty cup” is so true and so important to
remember. 

Self-care is not selfish. 

So many educators just want to do the very best for their students. 

To provide the best for their students. 

To be there for their students. 

They spread themselves thin.

I spread myself too thin. 

They think about their students on the drive to work and on the drive home from work.

They wake up in the night worried about their students.

They are stretched. Stretched too far.

I'm wondering how we can help each other on a more consistent basis. 

How do we promote self-care for the educators that we work with on a daily basis? 

How do we advocate for our own self-care?

How can we ensure that we are helping each other to
"take action to preserve one's own health"?

How do we make ourselves a priority when we are needed by so many others around us? 

We talk a lot about the mental health of our students with reason. With good reason.

But our educators can not pour from an empty cup.

And if people are feeling stretched in September what will November, January, March bring?

... what will the year bring?

We need to check in on each other.

We need to listen to each other.

We need to recognize the importance of self-care in this ever demanding job