Self-Care with a Stoma

As we start to move into the Autumn, the change in seasons can have an effect on how you feel, so now is a great time to check in with yourself, see how’re you’re feeling mentally and physically and maybe reassess how you approach your self-care routine.

Here’s just a few things I do to look after myself:

Positive affirmations

It’s easy to get caught in a cycle of negative thinking, especially when things don’t seem to be going your way. I have an app on my phone that sends me daily positive affirmations. It’s free and the affirmations pop up on my phone and smart watch, just like notifications, 2 to 3 times a day. Just a couple of examples are “I breathe, I am collected, I am calm” and “ I am confident and strong”. I don’t read every one that comes through, and some are a bit much for me, but on particularly bad days, they help to start to rewire my negative mindset and remind me to speak positively towards myself.

Yoga

If you’ve read my previous blogs, you’ll know that I have a real love for yoga. I’ve loved practising outside over the summer, but the colder days in Autumn are a great opportunity to get outside in the brisk air and work on breathing techniques.

Through yoga, I have also learnt to meditate, but I tend to do that in the evening, just before I go to sleep, to help calm the mind before I go to sleep. Without meditation, I find that my brain bursts into action as soon as it hits the pillow and starts to remember ALL the things, I was supposed to do that day. Without meditation, I’m sometimes awake until nearly 4am and I have to be up at 7am for the school run, however, If I meditate, I’m asleep by 11pm at the latest.

Counselling

Another part of my self-care regime is counselling. I suffer from depression and PTSD and my GP and I recently made the decision for me to come off all anti-depressant medication after a bad reaction. To help me process how I’m feelings, I attend weekly counselling sessions. I’ve had various talking therapies including CBT and I have found that talking about how you’re feeling is extremely beneficial. I‘ve long been a believer that mental health is just as important as physical health so I’m making a conscious effort to be aware of how I’m feeling mentally dealing with any difficulties as soon as possible.

Taking a break from tech

In today’s world, it’s so easy to be glued to your phone and not realise how much time we’re spending on a screen. I’ve started to make more of an effort to put my phone away I’ve stepped right back from social media. I only really use Instagram and I have daily time limits set on there. When I’m with friends and family, or meeting new people at events, I don’t take my phone out of my bag, or I leave it face down on the table. When I’m at home, I often choose to put my phone on silent and keep it faced down because I don’t want to be disturbed.

It's so easy to get caught up in the busy-ness of life and forget to look after yourself. Remember to check in with how you’re feeling, make time for yourself and do something FOR YOU.