Self care - what does it mean to you? How do you factor it in to your life?

I do oil pulling, dry skin brushing, eating healthily, walking... I used to go to Pilates classes but since I gave up my car I also gave up the classes; keep meaning to do some at home, but it's rare...

I don't. I never have. I always put everyone else's needs before my own. And I know I shouldn't, and I also know that at this stage in my life, I'm now facing the consquences of a lifetime of putting everyone else first.

I'm still working at my cleaning job, at 76 that's enough exercise for me! Self care is not getting up at my usual 4am, having a leisurely day,maybe a facepack and do my nails,or do some sewing.

I stand on one leg whilst brushing my teeth to help with balance, and do leg lifting exercises in the morning before getting up to help with core strength. Otherwise nothing specific apart from the usual 10000 steps and eating a healthy diet. I have a large very steep garden and that is enough to keep me fit............although I'm always complaining about it!

I try to eat a good diet. I do balance every morning cleaning my teeth courtesy of Michael Moseley. In the early evening do my squats and tiptoe exercises for my knee as I broke just before last Christmas. I had back ache last year and self referred to physio so I do those to keep a better posture. I generally do these every day. They only take 7 or 8 minutes.

I never think of self care I just do what needs to be done on a daily basis I don’t label it
I work 20 hours a week on my feet the whole time, I work on my allotment,nI walk on the beach and swim in the sea, I don’t label it as self care they are just things I enjoy doing like watching the soaps, moaning about them, and falling asleep while they are on

I do exercises and walk every day but for me more important and liberating is the idea of Self Compassion (nothing like self indulgence - and it leads to more kindness to others too). If this interests you I cannot recommend highly enough the book 'Self Compassion' by Kristin Neff - many books are called 'life changing' and this one really does fit those words. It has been in print for over 10 years which tells you it is valued by many people.

Coffee first thing in peace.
Swim or gym depending on the day.(Not weekends)
Sometimes lay on the bed and just relax.
Magazine and a treat.

If I want any life at all, then I have to eat half a Papaya every day, I did stop and thought I was cured, but started being sick again, ever since I had an operation to cure my hiatus hernia (which not only failed, but the surgeon accidentally cut through a nerve to my stomach rendering it useless). Most of the past year I have been fed though a PEG tube, but the papaya has helped heal my stomach and I am no longer PEG fed

I try to have a short walk with our lovely rescue dog as she has such a positive outlook on life. I do gentle exercises for my back at night and stretches in the morning. I like to manicure my bails and put a colourless polish on to make them feel less neglected. Love to paint my toenails a bright colour, gives me a lift.
I must have a platter of fruit and a small tub of Kefir midday as it makes he feel healthier.
Reading a good book relaxes my mind.

Why do the ordinary things we like doing have to have a label … ‘self care’, what a load of tripe

posset How do you find the time to do 10,000 steps per day?

I’ve been doing 10K steps a day *Skydancer - in 2 outings with DD2’s Little Dog. It works out (for me) as 2 miles and takes half an hour each time. so not a big chunk of the day really.
I don’t do anything special and I’m a bit sceptical of the ‘self-care’ label too.

For my knees and muscle strength I don’t set aside specific time kitty but rather build things in during the day. Some stretches while the kettle boils, balance exercises while teeth cleaning, thigh muscle strengthening while watching tv. What I can while I’m waiting for a pan to come to the boil. That sort of thing.

If you’ve been asked to do specific exercises I’d consider each one in terms of how you can include them in your day. You probably won’t do them all, begin with a few and build up

Keeping moving with normal things is also exercise. For me it’s gardening (my calm, happy place), walking as much as I can manage (some days only ten minutes as that’s my fibro baseline), even cleaning and ironing all strengthen some part of me.

There’s something about reminding ourselves that we’re as important as anyone else. It can be hard to do if we’ve always been the looker-after in a family, I regularly remind myself if I don’t care for me I can’t care for others.

BlueBelle

Why do the ordinary things we like doing have to have a label … ‘self care’, what a load of tripe

😄 You're right! Basically it's just "looking after yourself" which has been around forever and means just that ... brush your hair, your teeth, eat properly, and do something active".

There's so much every day stuff that we seem to be reminded of nowadays and often with a new label.

I'm sometimes amazed at what comes out as "therapy speak" and think "Do people really need to be told that?!"

I just do things that I enjoy, a bit of walking, a bit of tennis, some gardening… those watering cans count as weightlifting don’t they?
I do, as a few others have mentioned stand on alternate legs whilst cleaning my teeth and I take Vit.D tablets because I am low on that. Because of past history I have a bit of a problem with the sun.
I did used to do Pilates and keep thinking that I might do that again but haven’t got round to it yet, probably never will!

I go to the gym a minimum of three times a week, if granny duties keep me away during the school holidays I do stretches at home and the GC keep me moving.

My self care which I prefer to call me time is going for bi weekly manicure and monthly pedicures along with facials and a massage every couple of months.

I appreciate that I am fortunate to be able to afford these, I do not take anything for granted as life can turn on a sixpence at any age, more so as we enter our prime (retirement)

Self care is often a term used for pampering but whatever, it sounds like your exercises are very important if not crucial,and personally I would do them gc or no gc

Bluebelle, my op was really me thinking about that expression. I was wondering about whether my exercises come under 'self care' or whether that is something else entirely

I will do my exercises first thing in the morning as they are to be done on the bed. I intend to start on Monday as all childcare is done now.

And, that was another thought that prompted the op. My needs have a habit of being pushed down the list - I think it's a mum thing - ingrained now.

I’m not sure exactly what ‘self-care’ covers kitty but personally if I had a knee problem & was given exercises to do, they’d be in the same category as brushing & flossing my teeth 😉 ie, non-negotiable.

How long do your exercises take? I had a neck problem last year & was given exercises to do. They took 5 minutes twice a day and I was cured in a couple of weeks.

Sorry kitty I didn’t see your latest post before I posted mine 😳 & am glad you’re going to start afresh.
However I’m reminded of one of my Grandma’s favourite sayings, ‘Don’t put off till tomorrow what can be done today.’
😁

Most people list exercise as number 1 self care. Well it is.....but one that is often overlooked as people get older is, keeping clean. Old things need more care else they start to go wrong. It's their teeth, (bad breath and rotting teeth) they don't look after their feet, have dirty fingernails (and I'm not talking of soil out of the garden type of dirt) , rotting toe nails., fungal infections....and then they cover imperfections up with false nails, bad skin with make up. Cold sores (and I have watched people tell you about their cold sores as they are touching them!)When you neglect cleanliness you are neglecting yourself. I'm sorry to sound harsh but I genuinely think that as a nation we have become rather disgusting to ourselves and to each other. Once illness takes hold, it's another matter and you maybe cannot do the simple things for yourself, but there are too many people who are sloppy in their personal hygiene and really just don't care. No pride.

Jane, you made me smile. I am very organised about cleaning my teeth!

I certainly do intend to do the exercises. And we have no more overnighting DGC to get in the way now.

kitty😊

I was very good at doing my knee exercises but, quite frankly, after over 12 months I'm rather fed up with them!

Warbler I don't think anyone on GN would fit your description of an older person.
It's really rather ageist.