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Dear ,
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Think about this:
What do gardening, listening to music, and saying "no" have in common?
What about taking a walk, watching the birds, and sitting still and being quiet?
There is a wealth of wisdom represented by the members of my Gentle Stretch Yoga class. That on-going class has been meeting regularly for over 20 years and many students have been attending for over a decade!
I asked them what they did that helped them through stressful times. How do they take care of themselves? What do they do to quiet their minds?
The six ideas listed above are among the suggestions offered by my students as ways to increase peace of mind and promote self-care.
Here is the entire list from our class discussion:
1. Needlework and knitting
2. Play the piano (or other instrument)
3. Play with the dog (or cat)
4. Re-read favorite poems
5. Get outside and look around
6. Daily yoga (of course!)
7. Sing anywhere (beyond the shower?) and she adds, "There is always hope if you can hum in the darkness."
8. Write in a journal
9. Talk with certain friends
10. Play with grandchildren
11. Look at the stars
12. Swim everyday
13. Take care of plants
14. Get a massage
15. Read something that makes you think
16. Engage your mind with crossword puzzles and Sudoku
17. Take a hot bath
18. Look at the stars
19. Have an exercise program
20. Take a nap
21. Make a fire and enjoy it
22. Watch a river flow
23. Watch the clouds
24. Remember to be in the "now"
25. Meditate
26. Look at a beautiful painting (in an art book) and go into that serene world
27. Garden
28. Listen to music
29. Say "no"
30. Take a walk
31. Watch the birds
32. Sit still and be quiet
33. One unusual contribution is from a woman who said "I like to be with my chickens. Doing so gets me out in nature, and the chickens make me laugh."
Now not many of us have chickens to laugh about. And if you live in a warm climate, sitting by a fire won't hold much appeal.
But there are lots of items on the list that you can do.
What would you add to the list?
How about creating time for a self-care week and doing one or more each day? Print this list and circle the ones you want to add to your days. Be sure to add your own contributions to the list.
I bet you will look back on the week and smile with pleasure at what you've done and how you feel. I know, I am. | 
