someone else . Sadly , the wellness industry isn ’ t impervious to the stress , overwhelm and burnout epidemic . And just like that yoga teacher , if your job involves supporting others to achieve a new level of wellness , then it becomes doubly important that you take care of your own wellbeing first .
Yes , I ’ m aware this is what you promote to your customers and clients , but it bears repeating because learning to put yourself first — unapologetically — tends to be the tallest , widest and most difficult wall I see my clients learn to climb on their journey to embodying greater wellbeing .
Here are five things you must do to learn to scale that wall and combat the stress , overwhelm and burnout in your own life .
Know what drives you . In other words , select , define and get connected to what you value most in life . Whether you know it or not , your values are always at work in the background and , in many ways , shape your experience . If how you ’ re living is out of alignment with a core value , you will experience stress and overwhelm .
taKE actioN : l make a list of your core values , then whittle it down to three to five you would be most willing to stand up and fight for in life . l Next , define what each value means to you . l Jot down what you require to fully live each value . l Identify any areas of your life where some tweaks might need to be made to live closer to those values .
learn what you need . In the early years of my coaching business , I was shocked to discover how few people are really dialed into their core needs . These are the needs that keep you physically , mentally and emotionally thriving . It ’ s usually this disconnection that makes it hard to choose self-care activities that make a meaningful impact on our stress levels .
taKE actioN : l Take a moment to get centered . l Bring to ion of your best self . l Notice what characteristics he or she has . Is she smiling , laughing or perhaps more serious ? does he seem open or more reserved ? l Then , identify the feelings that go along with those characteristics . do you detect joy , friendliness , compassion , etc .? l Ask yourself , what do I need to feel like my best self ? l Jot down your answers .
accept that you deserve this . It ’ s one thing to know what drives you and to know what you need . It ’ s another to believe that you are not only within your right , but also that you have an obligation to meet those needs . For many people , this could be the hardest challenge of managing stress and beating burnout . Just think about how many articles you ’ ve read about the power of saying no , and yet most of us still struggle with it .
taKE actioN : l Explore any limiting beliefs that might be getting in the way of putting you first . l Create a list of what you would be able to do for others if you actually had a full tank . l Finally , look for examples of people you respect who take care of their needs so they can take care of others .
Enlist support . One of the first things I have all of my clients do is build a support team . Think about it , if you are going to make any change happen , it ’ s always easier with a group of loving and supportive people to bolster you when things get tough . What usually surprises my clients is who makes it on their list .
taKE actioN : l Choose up to five people that you are close enough with to share your mission openly . l make sure you choose people who really have your best interests at heart . l don ’ t forget to include at least one person who will hold you accountable when you aren ’ t doing what you said you wanted to do . l Finally , reach out and ask them to be on your team .
create a ritual for action . Nothing will keep you stuck in overwhelm and burnout like not doing something about it . To get unstuck , you want to create new rituals that fuel your tank and bring you back into alignment .
taKE actioN : l Identify the top areas that need an adjustment or realignment . l Reassess your core needs and look for strategies for how to fulfill them on a daily , weekly and monthly basis . l Engage your support network . l Set a plan for consistent but stress-free action .
Becoming savvy at self-care is how you better manage stress and overwhelm and boost your resilience in daily life . When we approach self-care from having done the deep work above , we learn to fill and refill our tanks in a sustainable way , which allows us to make an even greater impact in our families , with our clients and in our communities .
Your clients need you , your community needs you , so you need you to be wellfueled . Don ’ t worry about doing this perfectly . Don ’ t worry if you find that you fell off the wagon . Don ’ t worry if you need to adjust and readjust . Just keep going . Allow yourself to be healed so that you can help others heal . n
July 2018 ■ PULSE 31