Just in time for the holidays I have a special treat for you! With lots on the go, most of us are rushing around to get things done. What better time to have self-care reminders! Allow me to introduce to you Barbara Erochina, an emotional wellness coach, writer and speaker based out of Toronto. She is behind a great self-care strategy Be With: Cards for Self-Care. Barbara lives by her belief that the best way to speed up is to slow down and has generously shared her thoughts, and a give-away of the cards below!
With gratitude to Barbara for her insights and the #bewithcards give away!
Deepika
The Best Way to Speed Up is To Slow Down
Barbara Erochina
I’ve spent the last six months working on creating Be With: Cards for Self-Care, and my own self-care strategies have been put to the test in a whole new way.
About a month before launching, I hit a wall of exhaustion that hit back. We’re talking waking up nauseous and weepy, and succumbing to 3 hour mid-afternoon “power” naps. All while I was staring down a hard deadline to finish the last writing pieces for the deck – the instructional booklet, the box and our Indiegogo video script. Even the thought of sitting down to write pulled me right back to bed like a wave to shore.
Sure, I could tell myself it was time to buckle down and really persevere. It was tempting, pushing through has been my MO as long as I can remember.
When I entered my first career and felt deep apathy – I pushed through.
When my last relationship began feeling off and I daydreamed about leaving – I pushed through.
When a friendship stopped nourishing my spirit – I pushed through.
I know how to grind even when everything inside me is asking to slow down but I also know where that gets me: years of wasted time trying to force something that was never going to work in the first place.
But, this time I knew better. So I wrote my team, and told them they were going to have to wait on the writing. I was taking the weekend off.
Instead of pushing through, I slowed down. My partner Taya and I went away with dear friends. I spent time on a blow-up raft getting a wicked sunburn and having deep belly laughs. I talked about important things over delicious meals with those who reminded me of the bigger picture of what I want for my life – good health, community and a family of my own.
I was reminded of one of my own basic principles - the best way to speed up is to slow down.
When I came back home, and sat down to write, the words and paragraphs I needed arrived all on their own – easy and smooth as silk. And this time my message was clear and succinct in a way that I’d been trying to force unsuccessfully for months.
We forget that slowing down offers us perspective like nothing else - the ability to pull back from the stress of current circumstances to reconnect with our values, our vision and what we really want for our lives.
Be With: Cards for Self-Care are a simple tool to help you build your slow down muscles. (Granted, as the cards’ mama, I happen to think they are the cutest and smartest tool on the block.) The cards were designed on a simple principle: the more often we practice the skills of slowing down to check in with ourselves, and respond with compassion, non-judgment and loving care, the more we reconnect with what’s most important.
Let’s make an agreement to stop forcing, and slow down enough to start listening to ourselves, okay? We’re a lot more likely to go where we actually want to go, and to get there faster and with more enjoyment along the way, I promise.
Guess what? I have a full deck to give away to one of you on Instagram! All you have to do is:
1. Follow Deepika and I on IG @bewithcards and @deepikamittra
AND
2. Share what you're doing for selfcare as we get into the busy holiday season, and hashtag it #bewithcards
3. *Bonus* entry if you tag a friend!
For additional non-social media options check out the newest blog post.
Open to residents in Canada and the US only. Winner will be drawn December 8th, 2016!
