It’s easy to get caught up in the busy-ness of every day life. Sometimes we are so busy running from one thing to the next that we forget to do the things we need to look after ourselves. In other words, we let our self-care take a backseat.
Sometimes, just bringing awareness to things we need at a particular time in our lives can help us start to address the imbalance.
I know for me that I have been feeling especially run-down and unwell lately. This is a sign that my body, mind and spirit need things that I’m not currently providing. So, I found this simple journal prompt to be really helpful.
>>> Prompt:
Take a blank page in your journal. If you like to write big, a two page spread might be better.
At the top of one page, write the words ‘I need more…’ and then write ‘I need less…’ at the top of the other page.
Then, write whatever comes to mind under each of the headings.
You may choose to do this in list format, as a mindmap, or just stream-of-consciousness. You could even do it as an art journal page and doodle/draw or collage images and colours that represent how you want to feel. Do whatever feels best for you.
If you want to stay focused on the positive, then you might just do the ‘I need more’ list.
Here are a few of the things from my lists right now:
I need more:
- magic
- time out in nature
- art-making
- connection
- rest
- nourishing food
- action
I need less:
- rushing
- stress
- numbing
- television
- worry
- comparison
- doubt
Your lists may look similar to mine, or they may be totally different.
You might find that there are a few things on the list that appear to be in conflict with one another. For example, on my ‘I need more list’ I put both rest and action. I can take these two words and do some free-writing to explore this further.
It might also be helpful to choose one or two things that really stand out to you from each list, then jot down a few ideas of how to get more/less of that thing.
So for me, I want more rest and less television, more creativity and less numbing – I could spend more time reading, journaling and napping when I feel tired, rather than turning to television or the internet to distract myself.
What do you most need right now? Share your experiences with this prompt in the comments below.
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