Self Care Journal
Self Care Journal
Self Care Journal
This 21-day self-care journal will help you explore and develop
strategies for your mental, physical, emotional, social, spiritual,
personal, environmental, and work self-care. For each day, there is
a quote, journal question, and strategy. You can write out, sketch
out, insert an image, and/or record your responses for each day. It
is also recommended that you revisit your entries periodically to
see how you are doing. Give yourself permission to try new things
understanding that new habits take time to take hold. Also, it would
be helpful to have a friend or two to share ideas and increase your
accountability. Also give yourself permissions to make mistakes and
have setbacks.
Prepared by Jackie Gerstein, Ed.D. - User Generated Education
Day 1
If you carry joy in your heart, you can heal any
moment.
– Carlos Santana
What is your definition of joy? When and how often do you experience
pure joy? What, if you desire, can you do to increase joy in your life?
Strategy: Schedule times each week to do things that bring you joy. It may
help to create a Joy Vision Board, a type of collage with images and words
that cause you joy. Then you can find similar things in your everyday life
that you can DO that creates feelings of joy.
Progress Reflection (use this space to reflect on the progress
you’ve made on this strategy):
Day 2
“When we care for ourselves as our very own
beloved—with naps, healthy food, clean sheets, a lovely
cup of tea—we can begin to give in wildly generous ways
to the world, from abundance.”
- Anne Lamott
We tend to hold stress in our bodies. Focus on your body and note where
you might be holding stress - neck? Shoulders? Back? What do you believe
are the long term effects of holding onto this stress in your body? What do
you think are the benefits of learning to rid yourself of some of this
physical manifestation of stress? Are you motivated to learn different ways
of relieving stress from your body?
Strategy: Several times a day -> U
nclench your jaw. Drop your shoulders.
Take deep cleansing breaths. Do this anytime you feel any tightness in
your body.
Progress Reflection (use this space to reflect on the progress
you’ve made on this strategy):
Day 4
“Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings
peace for today, and creates a vision for
tomorrow.”
- Melodie Beattie
Write down three things for which you are grateful. Add three things for
which you are grateful everyday for a week. These should be unique each
day so that in the end you have a list of 20 to 30 different things.
Strategy: Interrupt anxiety with a gratitude practice. In other words, when
you feel anxiety rises, ground yourself by thinking of those things for
which you are grateful.
Progress Reflection (use this space to reflect on the progress
you’ve made on this strategy):
Day 5
If you want to have enough to give to others, you
will need to take care of yourself first. A tree that
refuses water and sunlight for itself can't bear fruit
for others.
- Emily Maroutian,
Do you ever feel guilty putting your own needs first; before other people’s
needs? If so, why do you think you believe that? If not, how did you learn
this lesson? Here is a list of consequences that result from putting others
first - The Unselfish Art of Prioritizing Yourself. Which ones resonate for
you?
Strategy: It ’s not selfish to put yourself and your health first. It’s
responsible. Because if you don’t take care of yourself, how are you going
to continue taking care of anybody else? Put yourself first. Because you
are important and you matter in this world. Do three things every day that
help your mind, body, and soul.
(https://thriveglobal.com/stories/you-are-important-9-ways-to-put-yourself
-first/)
Progress Reflection (use this space to reflect on the progress
you’ve made on this strategy):
Day 6
“I am going to keep having fun every day I have left,
because there is no other way of life. You just have to
decide whether you are a Tigger or an Eeyore.”
– Randy Pausch
How do you define fun for yourself? How often do you do something fun?
How often would you like to do something fun?
Strategy: Create a goal related to increasing fun and play in your life so
that you do something fun and playful on a regular basis..
Progress Reflection (use this space to reflect on the progress
you’ve made on this strategy):
Day 7
Before people can begin something new, they have to
end what used to be and unlearn the old way.”
- William Bridges
Unlearning is the process through which we break down the origins of our
thoughts, attitudes, behaviors, feelings, and biases. Think of something
you want to unlearn and answer the following questions:
● Where do these beliefs come from?
● Do these support my mental health?
● Is this in alignment with the life I want?
● Is this congruent with my authenticity and the person I am? The
person I want to become?
(https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-gen-y-psy/202004/
the-power-unlearning)
Strategy: Think of a habit that you know is not healthy for you and that
you have the motivation to unlearn. Work for the next few weeks in
unlearning that habit. This involves changing both your mindset and your
habit. For more information on how to do this, read
https://medium.com/skilluped/how-to-unlearn-anything-68e781104e93.
Progress Reflection (use this space to reflect on the progress
you’ve made on this strategy):
Day 8
“We have only now, only this single eternal moment opening
and unfolding before us, day and night.”
- Jack Kornfield
After reading Seven Ways Mindfulness Can Help Teachers, w
rite about
your own understanding of mindfulness and how you think it might help
you in your life? In your teaching?
Strategy: We Are Teachers discuss 7 Simple Ways to Sneak Mindfulness
Into Your Teaching Day. These are:
● Take a moment to breathe.
● Listen carefully.
● Ground yourself.
● Use your sense of smell.
● Try a change of scenery.
● Walk mindfully.
● Make an authentic connection.
Choose a few of these to practice during the days you work.
Progress Reflection (use this space to reflect on the progress
you’ve made on this strategy):
Day 9
Vulnerability is about showing up and being seen. It’s
tough to do that when we’re terrified about what
people might see or think. When we are fueled by the
fear of what other people think or that gremlin
that’s constantly whispering “You’re not good enough”
in our ear, it’s tough to show up. We end up hustling for our worthiness
rather than standing in it.
- Brene Brown
● Maintain alignment between what you feel and need and what you
say and do.
● Make value-based choices while taking into account intuition,
research, and the bigger picture.
● Do something each day that reflects your deepest needs, wishes,
and values.
● Give up designing your behavior by the desire to be liked (be
imperfectly perfect and yourself!)
(https://www.mindful.org/4-questions-foster-authentic-self/)
How often do you ask for help? Is this satisfactory to you? How do you feel
prior to asking for help? After you asked for help?
Strategy: People love helping. Not only does helping strengthen social
ties, it makes helpers feel good about themselves. Graciously allow your
helper to give you a gift of help (a gift you could really use); she or he will
likely be delighted for the chance. And, if your helper is truly too busy or
overburdened, trust him or her—just as graciously—to tell you so
(https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-to-ask-for-help/). .
Day 17
If you don't love yourself, you cannot love others. ...
You will not be able to love others. If you have no
compassion for yourself then you are not able of
developing compassion for others. - Dalai Lama
Day 18
Learn to relax. Your body is precious, as it houses your mind
and spirit. Inner peace begins with a relaxed body. - Norman
Vincent Peale
Strategy: Regularly engage in an activity that you find relaxing. Put aside a
little time every day to do something that you really enjoy, whether that be
gardening, listening to music, going to the beach or reading. Schedule it
into your daily routine so that it becomes a natural part of your life.
(https://headspace.org.au/headspace-centres/maitland/new-blog-post-3/ )
Are you getting enough face-to-face time with your friends? What are you
doing to nurture your relationships with friends and family?
Strategy: Socialization is key to self-care. But, often, it's hard to make time
for friends and it's easy to neglect your relationships when life gets busy.
Close connections are important to your well-being. The best way to
cultivate and maintain close relationships is to put time and energy into
building your relationships with others. There isn't a certain number of
hours you should devote to your friends or work on your relationships.
Everyone has slightly different social needs. The key is to figure out what
your social needs are and to build enough time in your schedule to create
an optimal social life
(https://www.verywellmind.com/self-care-strategies-overall-stress-reductio
n-3144729).
Day 20
“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience;
we are spiritual beings having a human experience.”
-Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
What questions do you ask yourself about your life and personal
experiences? Are you engaging in spiritual practices that you find fulfilling?
Strategy: Look over your comments and strategies from the last three
weeks. Plan a big celebration for what you’ve accomplished!