Lessons Learned: Self Care

LOVE YOUR BODY - IT'S THE ONLY ONE YOU HAVE 

It's absolutely incredible how I forgot one of the most important aspects of success and good health- self care. I've always been busy whether it's volunteering, working, studying or all other tasks and had never stopped to think: Am I taking care of myself?

4 hours a night of sleep, eating quick unhealthy meals, and not leaving enough time to have personal time to myself ultimately contributed to the extreme amount of stress that I had been feeling for months. I thought it was simply because I was too busy - wrong. It had a lot to do with the fact that I hadn't made self care my top priority like it should have been. I constantly wondered why I was so tired, why I was spending so much money on coffee and why I couldn't seem to remember to get tasks completed. It wasn't because I didn't want to do them - it was solely because my body and mind were desperately trying to show me that I needed more sleep, nutrients, and personal time.

About a month ago I made it a goal to exercise a couple times a week to keep my body in good physical health. In addition to going to the gym, I made a goal to eat healthy foods - more veggies and fruits. It was amazing what that small change in my diet and routine did for my brain and body. I made a lifestyle change - the little changes weren't cutting it any longer, I needed to give my body time and effort that it has needed for so long in order to keep me healthy enough to complete my tasks and responsibilities and be happy and healthy about it!

To me, there is nothing more important when you are in a position of leadership (which is all the time) than keeping yourself healthy and happy. It wasn't easy to make all of these lifestyle changes, however, it was worth it - more than I ever imagined. Give your body some love!

Lessions Learned: Frustating Foods

Food has been my best friend for many and plenty of years as seen by my increasing waist size. I have the privilege of eating whatever I want, whenever I want, however I want due to the fact that I don't have any dietary constraints that require me to take special precautions when eating nor any other health problems (that I know of) that stop me from eating this way. I'm allowed to be extremely picky whenever for absolutely no reason, which brings me to my biggest point:

Ordering food is hard!

First hand experience has allowed me to see what happens when you order food for masses without taking into count dietary concerns or allergies. This evidenced by seeing someone have an allergic reaction to nuts in the room at the MLK event and PAC preparing 3/4 of the main items for Tim Wise with meat, although he's vegetarian.  And I can easily place blame and say, well why don't you just ask folks? It's easy to know what to prepare for! And that's the easy part... Asking. Following through takes massive amounts of planning, prepping and effort in execution.

Never will I be this excited to pick foods.

Honestly, of all the tasks I've completed in my two years of facilitation, ordering food has been the most frustrating and hardest to manage. Maybe I'm just whining or complaining about something simple. But no, I'm not. And I know why it's hard. Whoever said inclusion was easy? No one in social justice has, that's for sure. So as I head into future work of coordinating and organizing, I have to remember, to cover bases, and don't exclude people just because their needs are different than my own.

Lessons Learned is a RAPP Blog initiative intended for folks who hold formal leadership positions in RAPP programs to share what they're learning through their process

Lessons Learned: Flu Shot!

Well, as a person who hardly gets sick, imagine my surprise to leave a retreat with a little cough. That little cough managed to grow into a fever that morphed into body aches and sore throat. What do you know, the flu! In that moment, it was good to remember, FLU SHOTS can prevent such things from happening. It took a good week or so to re-cooperate! But I came back stronger than ever!

Lessons Learned is a RAPP Blog initiative intended for folks who hold formal leadership positions in RAPP programs to share what they're learning through their process

Lessons Learned: Self Care = Important

While in Japan last May on study tour, my host family asked me what I did for a living. I proudly told them I was working 66 hours between a few jobs. It was then that something strange happened. Instead of being given the "Wow, that's awesome" face I've become used to, I was given the "Aww, you poor thing" face. This was emphasized when I considered that Japanese work culture is one of the most diligent (and in my opinion overworked) in the world. I was subsequently hit with a barrage of self-care questions. When do you eat? How long are you sleeping at night? How do you make time for your friends and family? 

I think it really sunk in for me at that time. Self-care is important!

  

As a self-ascribed person who works too much, I feel that the concept of self-care is something I often overlook. Recently, I was forced to miss a few days of work, including a RAPP meeting, due to illness and I still haven't stopped giving myself a hard time over it. I clearly remember throwing-up in a bucket and thinking "Well, it's not that bad. Maybe I can go in...." This type of thinking is WRONG. 

Other than the glaring possibility of infecting my entire office with a super-bug, I need to think of myself as important too. Pushing oneself too hard can be bad for both your mental and physical health. We all need a break sometime!  

Lessons Learned is a RAPP Blog initiative intended for folks who hold formal leadership positions in RAPP programs to share what they're learning through their process

Free Prostate Cancer Screenings - Sept 15th!

From UC News:
Free Prostate Cancer Screenings Available Sept. 15

September is National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. If you (or a loved one) are due a prostate cancer screening, the test is being offered at no-cost on a first come, first served basis Sept. 15, 2012, from noon to 3 p.m. 

Date: 9/6/2012 4:00:00 PM
By: Amanda Harper

  

The UC Health Barrett Center’s Mobile Prostate Cancer Screening Program will be offering a free community screening event Saturday, Sept. 15, from noon-3 p.m. at Jordan's Crossing (Allen Temple Senior Center, 7030 Reading Road). No appointments are required and tests are given first come, first served. 

The Barrett Center, located in Clifton, is an adult outpatient cancer care facility affiliated with the University of Cincinnati (UC) Cancer Institute, one of four UC and UC Health collaborative centers of excellence for research, patient care and education. The UC Cancer Institute and Cincinnati Children’s Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute together form the Cincinnati Cancer Center, a joint cancer initiative aimed at advancing cancer care faster through innovative research.