You’ve heard the saying that it takes a village to raise a child. But I also believe that it takes a village to support…
- a happy, healthy marriage
- a happy, healthy family
- a happy, healthy business
- And a happy, healthy YOU!
You need people around you who can help you be your best, right? When you surround yourself with people who care about your health and well-being, you’re setting yourself up to lead a life that is active and fulfilling!
I have moved more than a dozen times in 30 years so I’ve learned a thing or two about the importance of building community – not just friendships but collaborative and professional relationships, too. Every time I move, one of the first things I do is invest time in doing the research to find the people that I want on my self-care team! During times of extreme stress, like the past few months of my life, I’ve been so grateful that I’ve gathered these key people. I’ve been able to circle the wagons and allow these folks to take care of me.
I have been thinking a lot lately about why I have not gotten really sick since my mother died. I remember after my father’s death in 1994, both my mother and I got dreadfully ill. And I have talked with a lot of friends and clients who have had similar experiences.
It led me to ask myself the question… What is different this time? Obviously, there are several factors at play that have helped to maintain my overall health including having a supportive husband, incredible friends, the fact that Mom and I talked about her death and prepared for it, my life experience (maturity, wisdom, whatever you want to call it!), etc.
But I do think that having an established, supportive self-care board of advisors has been essential for my physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well-being in these past few weeks and months.
I’m going to share some of my team members below to give you some ideas but I want YOU to think about who you have on your Self-Care Team.
Some questions to ask yourself…
- Do I have a specific health issue that I need extra support with?
- Is my practitioner not only an expert in their field but also compassionate and a good listener?
- Is there a habit or pattern that I’ve tried to break but can’t seem to do on my own and I would benefit from working with a trained professional?
We all know that it’s important to have a trusted family doctor (and dentist, eye doctor, OBGYN, etc!) but there are so many other healthcare professionals that can make great contributions to your personal health and that of your family that you may want to consider adding to the mix.
Here are the key people on my Self-Care Team:
My acupuncturist, Connie Cai. She helps me with some specific issues (digestion, allergies, hormones and fibroids, in particular) but it’s also great for my overall emotional health, too. I feel calm and balanced after every single visit. I’ve been receiving acupuncture since 1999 and it’s one of the best investments of time and money that I’ve ever made for my health. In a new city, it usually takes me, 2-3 practitioners, to find the perfect fit. My best friend is an acupuncturist in Asheville, North Carolina so I get to bend her ear from time to time as well.
My health coach, Melanie St. Ours. She has helped me to change my relationship with food so that I am no longer afraid of it. I spent the better part of 15 years trying to fit into a medical model that helped with some of my chronic health issues but messed me up in the head when it came to my relationship with food. While I have gained weight in the past year, we are managing my digestive issues very well (Melanie is an herbalist, too!) and I am learning to enjoy food again. Melanie has such compassion for me, I pretty much cry every time we Skype because she helps me to be more loving and compassionate toward myself when it comes to body image issues. (She works with clients all over so check her out. I knew instinctually that I had to work with her when I read this article)
My personal trainer, Kandice Harris. I knew that things were getting difficult with my mom this summer and I knew that I needed to have a strong body to support the road that lay ahead. I wasn’t making it to the gym anymore so I knew I needed to build in more accountability. What I didn’t know at the time is that Kandice was also the primary caregiver for her mother before she died. She had walked in my shoes years prior and so she knows exactly what I went through and I’m now going through in the aftermath of mom’s death. So she’s been strengthening my body while serving up healthy doses of empathy as well. (She does virtual training, too, so if you aren’t here in Houston with us, she can still help you!)
My chiropractor, Dr. Lance McClintock. He’s a sports chiropractor who specializes in ART (Active Release Technique) and helps me tremendously when my planter fasciitis kicks up or my back is out of whack. I only see him when I need him which is a refreshing change from a more traditional chiropractic model requiring multiple visits a week.
My massage therapist, William, is the best! He’s a young guy, in his 20s, but who grew up in a family of massage therapists. It’s not usually relaxing to go see him but he works out all the knots and I walk out straighter than I did when I walked in. The best part? He is affiliated with a chiropractor’s office so I am able to get my visits covered by insurance!
At other times in my life, I’ve had great yoga teachers, great meditation teachers, great Zumba teachers, great therapists and more. I am grateful to have very good insurance and to be able to afford to pay out-of-pocket for alternative therapies when necessary. But it doesn’t have to cost a lot to care for your body… You can take classes at your local YMCA, watch videos on YouTube or join a local running club! Some acupuncturists and chiropractors practice a community model that is more affordable. Programs like Weight Watchers make it accessible for most people to get the support they need in losing weight. Sometimes we need a little help and sometimes we need a lot of help.
Who’s on your Self-Care Team? I’d love to know!
Here’s to gathering a self-care board of advisors that’s right for YOU!
Elizabeth