It is easy to find joy during times in our life when everything appears to be in place. We find joy in the lazy Sundays before the yard work for the season takes over. Finding joy is easy when we are sipping drinks on the beach enjoying a deserved vacation. The simple joy of being around young children who find pleasure in just being alive is packed with joy.
What about when life is hard?
How do we find joy during the painful seasons of life? When the daily grind overcomes every corner of our life. The chores are endless. Or our aging parents need constant care. Perhaps our lives are full of the demands of school age children and we have little self care time. The chronic pain that many live with makes finding joy nearly impossible.
Looking for moment of joy
After my last hip surgery, the complications have seemed to be endless. Infections, blood clots, multiple visits to the ER seem to have taken over my life. Constant doctor appointments and conversation about my pain is exhausting.
Until I chose joy.
There are always moments of joy. Waking up to the sound of a spring bird is joy. Watching as the trees begin to bloom is joy. Smelling the first cut grass of the season is joy. Carefully nurturing the garden seedlings is joy. Laying your hands in sourdough bread dough is joy. Tasting the fruits of your labor slathered in butter is joy.
We are going to be okay
Looking back at life, there are countless times when it is easy to see that indeed we did end up okay. When we are in the vortex of struggles it is nearly impossible to see it, but I do believe it is there.
We will be okay. I will be okay. You will be okay.
“Rest and self-care are so important. When you take time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve others from the overflow. You cannot serve from an empty vessel.” —Eleanor Brownn
Self care Mastery
Over the years I have become a master at self care and what I once thought of as purely selfish or saved for the elite has long since diminished. When I had my great “wakeup” I realized that self-care is actually a necessity to living a whole and complete life. I learned that loving myself meant taking time for certain things that bring me joy and in doing that, I am able to more effectively give to others.
Self-care doesn’t have to be weekly (and often expensive) things like massages, facials or extravagant shopping sprees. Self-care should be simple in nature and definitely doesn’t need to cost a lot. It might be that taking the time to perfectly craft your coffee in the afternoon is your version of self-care–in fact, since I am not out and about as much while I recover from hip replacement, I have found sprinkling a little ground cinnamon on my afternoon coffee to be a fabulous substitute to my usual coffee shop Americano. It may be that your self-care is gardening, or baking bread (YES!), or a solo walk, or organizing your office, or a long shower with special smelling soap, or sitting in the sunshine, or the occasional binge on Netflix.
Self Care Before Surgery:
My self-care before surgery was long, long walks everyday and vigorous strength training sessions. It was also daily coffee(s), Yoga, and weekly massages. My self-care post surgery has changed quite a bit but I am still committed to making sure that I am loving on myself every single day. When I redirect my thoughts away from pain and towards something that brings me joy, I am practicing the best kind of self care there is. I am no longer taking long, long walks or hiking in the mountains. I am not getting on the floor for Yoga, or taking long bubble baths, or splurging on multiple trips to a coffee shop throughout my day. Since I am unable to do some of those things due to limitations in mobility, driving myself and being off work for two months, I have evolved my self-care to fit my current situation.
Self Care After Surgery:
Long hot showers instead of bubble baths
Daily affirmations (I have used affirmations for years, but being a bit more intentional about them)
Making anything and everything sourdough (who knew how fun that could be?)
Dabbling more in aromatherapy when I feel my mood changing to a negative one
Using and enjoying my crystals in a deliberate way
Jigsaw puzzles, digital planning and a lot of iPad goodness
I have come to realize that self-care is a constantly evolving practice. I know for me that being productive and using my creative nature to accomplish something everyday brings me joy. That something might be baking a gorgeous loaf of sourdough, or completing a challenging jigsaw puzzle, working on a new project, or finishing a juicy novel. Or, it might be whipping up a body butter for my skin or enjoying an extra long shower. Whatever it is, I am still loving on me and that is a must for all of us.
How do you self-care and how has it evolved in your changing seasons?
Stacie believes that it is her life purpose to share the gift of Yoga with anyone who is willing to say yes. In addition to raising a family and being an advocate for those with disabilities, Stacie is founder of Embracing Spirit Yoga which specializes in bringing adaptive Yoga into community centers and rehabilitation clinics. Bringing her depth of compassion to the mat–or the chair–she offers students the opportunity to grow as an individual in all aspects of their life.With over sixteen years experience, Stacie Wyatt is an experienced 500 hour Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance, Certified Brain Injury Specialist, Certified Trauma Informed Coach, Life Wellness Coach, Senior YogaFit Instructor, Mind/Body Personal trainer, Stress Reduction and Meditation Instructor, Pilates Instructor, and Barre Instructor.
In the last six years, I have had four orthopedic surgeries. Tomorrow, I have my fifth. Previous to my recent round of multiple hip surgeries and ankle tendon repair, I had two foot surgeries and a knee scope. It’s crazy! Almost as crazy as having an arrival toe joint ?!
Over the years I have tried many things to help with post operative pain and things to expedite healing. Icing, elevating and passive movements are great for keeping things lubricated and moving (of course with the guidance of your physician and specific needs). I love to ice and hand with a good book while my body rests.
I have also found that some topical remedies work great for aches and pains following surgery. For muscle pain and tightness, I love this muscle rub. It’s packed with natural and pure essential oils and doesn’t have the nasty stuff that some other blue rubs have.
Since our joints are composed of bones and soft tissue this blend of essential oils has been my go-to for all my joint surgeries. I apply it around the incision sight as often as I need. It really does help to reduce the discomfort and because of the unique properties of the essential oils, they also help my bones and soft tissue become stronger with each application.
Check this out:
To a 10ml glass roller bottle I add 8 drops each of these essential oils—helichrysum, lemongrass, frankincense, and sandalwood. Occasionally I might add marjoram for some added muscle relief. Fill the rest of the bottle with fractionated coconut oil and you’re good to go! You can grab everything you need here!
Besides this bone supporting blend, these essential oils are so versatile and you can use them to also support skin, sleep, mood, and surface cleaning to make a few! But if you opted to only use these oils for this blend, it would make over 20 roller bottles, which last for months anyway! So while the investment is big, it’s so worth it.
This gorgeous ebook explains all the ways you can safely use essential oils in your home. Once you grab the oils, I will reach out to you and schedule a free wellness consultation and send you an awesome welcome package to get you going.
