Self Care During COVID-19

By Shawneece Stevenson

As I sit late night answering the question, “How are you caring for yourself during COVID?” the pandemic has cause for a ‘selah’ moment. Selah is a break between notes - a pause or silence. It's the intermission. During an intermission at a play or a musical, it's a time to reflect so that you can re-enter the performance refreshed.

For me, the pandemic required an intermission and a time of reflection. That meant a look back at how I cared for myself pre-pandemic to understand how to care for myself now. I thought that self care was solely walking to relieve stress; managing my home, taking vacation, and having pedicures and massages to rejuvenate. I soon realized that caring for myself is more than those activities. I realized I was inconsistent with caring for my mind, body, soul and family. I had a full schedule! However, while going through the pandemic, I’ve gained clarity about what is most important and essential.

“I’ve gained clarity about what is most important and essential.”

Essentials are the things that are extremely important - if everything is gone, what do I need (not want). I learned that I needed integrated physical wellness, emotional wellness, spiritual wellness, and relationship wellness.  The truth is I was missing all these important areas to build resilience in my life and protect my mind, body, and soul from long term negative impact. I came to the conclusion I was lopsided. I did not invest in all areas of my life. I need space to integrate essential areas so I can move through life with intention and purpose.

“Here are my reflections on how I am beginning to protect time and space for my overall wellness.”

Here are my reflections on how I am beginning to protect time and space for my overall wellness. First, relationships wellness is building deeper relationships with those who mean the most. It was reinforced that spending time with my family, especially getting to know who my children were becoming and what was important to them, took time. During this time, my oldest child with sickle cell was hospitalized for over 10 days but took almost a month to heal. Being available for my family was a key.

Carving out space in my body, heart, and physical time to respond to life needs was underscored as a need. My daughter needed me to be emotionally and physically present. But to be clear, my other children needed time too for other reasons. I realized I was living with very little margin, which required an inventory of my time. I needed to notice - how do you spend your time? Is what you're doing adding value to what’s essential? I needed to shift, set professional boundaries at work, and ask for support in my boundaries.

“I needed to shift, set professional boundaries at work, and ask for support in my boundaries.”

Physical Wellness

Physical wellness is important as I manage diabetes and the impact of being more sedentary during COVID has completely changed my body. I had a fall during the pandemic and caused minor injury to my body - so I am learning to take my time, be patient, listen to my body, and work towards my physical health goals/plans. Pre-pandemic, I was doing way too much and my body said “stop” but I did not listen consistently. I had to take an intermission to reflect and listen to my body - it was required with my injury. I am doing multiple things to heal my body - I have noticed every muscle, ache, step up or improvement. I’m much more aware of how I move and feel. It’s been nice to notice my body’s messages it sends me and I now listen. It’s my temple and the only body I will have.

Emotional and Spiritual Wellness

I also have learned to increase my emotional and spiritual wellness.  It's caring for my mental well being and my spiritual well being. Both are interconnected for me. I renewed my mind through my spiritual practice of praying and reading the bible. These strategies have supported my emotional wellness. I also accessed counseling as a way to manage life stressors and being in a spiritual fellowship with my sisters in Christ. There are times during Covid that I needed to pull from my faith to get through day to day. The pandemic is a daily reminder that life isn’t normal.

“I know I can count on my faith and that makes life issues more manageable; I know I can survive.”

It hasn’t been easy managing my children and their education remotely; tending to health issues; ensuring our social needs are met; or even being in fellowship with others. But, know I can count on my faith; that makes life issues more manageable and I know I can survive.

Finally, I created a wellness dashboard to manage my physical, emotional, emotional, and spiritual health on MyFitnessPal. I am trying to stay disciplined and ensure the COVID-19 reflections and lessons I’ve had are put into ongoing practice. I want to mature in my own wellness.

In conclusion, I close the way I started this blog, “How  are you caring for yourself during COVID?” Simply, taking a selah moment to learn and apply new strategies and being gentle with myself. New times cause for new tools.