Give Comfort – The Perfect Gift for Everyone: a Self-Care Kit
Do you have a Self-Care kit? You probably do, without even realizing it.
I’ve assembled an essential collection of things to use when anxiety gets out front. My Self-Care kit comes in handy when I need to:
feel less anxious
feel more calm
feel ready to face the world again.
I recently organized my Self-Care Kit so it’s ready for me whenever the newspaper, the TV, the mail, or any other event gets to be too much.
Actually, the trigger doesn’t matter. What’s important is that the anxious is getting out front.
My Self-Care Kit comes to the rescue!
These items are now all in one easy place so I can get to them whenever I need to calm my body and slow my racing thoughts. Overall, they don’t take a lot of space. Square inch by square inch, these things are priceless.
My Self-Care Kit is actually in 2 parts. The first part includes:
my favorite blanket/throw.
a hot water bottle
a generous-sized heart pillow
my favorite essential oil
a neck pillow I can heat in the microwave
aromatherapy pillow
incense
coloring book
my affirmation journal
My Self-Care Kit is in a drawer in my bedroom. But, it could be anywhere. The important thing is that, when I find myself becoming anxious, I go to my Self-Care Kit, and find a selection of things that will help.
That can only be a good thing.
Taped on the wall next to my computer is My Backup List.
The items on this list are a selection of things that I know will help when I need them. They include names, locations, emails, and phone numbers to schedule
a yoga session
a Reiki session
a reflexology session
a massage
So, for me, my Self-Care kit comes in two parts. I know that, between the items in the drawer and the list on the wall, there are options for being calm.
Then, tucked away for me to find when I need them are a guided meditation and a scented bath bar to use with a relaxing and calming bath.
We are each different, on our own special paths. Each day is a new opportunity. One thing this new year has taught me: A Self-Care Kit is ready and waiting for me when I need it.
Ahhhhh.
Calm
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Thurman Greco
thurmangreco@gmail.com
Lift Yourself Up: 6 Things That Work
Sometimes, we’re aware of life’s impacts when they happen. Other times, they sneak up on us. We wake up and realize things haven’t been “right” for a while or even a long time.
Life is many things to many different people. Over time, things change. The changes can come daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, or even more slowly.
However that is for you, when you realize things aren’t what you consider ideal – or even acceptable – it’s time to lift yourself up.
This is a good opportunity to spend energy connecting with your community. You may find that your community is experiencing adjustments as well as yourself. Who are you in this community? Are you comfortable with your place here?
The important thing is to connect with people who lift you up. You find them when you connect with your community – through friends, groups, and extended families.
Check in with those who are important to you.
Take a deep breath and a break. Self-care activities such as meditation and enough sleep can be particularly healing now. (Meditation always comes up first on the self-care list. However, it is not popular with everyone. The point is to choose something that works for you.)
Returning to body work habits such as reflexology or Reiki therapy can be particularly appreciated now. While you’re focusing on these new (or renewed) connections, schedule extra sessions to keep you grounded and steady.
This is also a time to pick up a new skill through classes, books, or other ways of learning.
Finally, show up for others in positive ways which honors them. This makes you a conduit for healing in ways you may not have thought of before.
Being a conduit for healing is a basic tenet of self-healing. Being a conduit does not require that you change your story or anyone else’s.
Being a conduit for healing does not really offer therapy even. Simply being there and showing up is enough.
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Thank you.
Thurmangreco.com
Self-Care is Kindness to Ourselves
Self-Care asks us to give the same kindness to ourselves that we give to others.
When you have negative or critical thoughts about yourself, stop for a moment and ask yourself this: “Would I say these things about a good friend?”
The chances are that you would not. You would not be unkind to someone else.
Now, try being as kind to yourself as you would to a loved one.
The next time things go wrong, accept the event for what it is. Then, apologize for what happened if that’s appropriate. Then, forgive yourself.
Learning from mistakes and moving on is a positive way to get through life.
Forgiving yourself is what allows you to get through life. When you forgive yourself, you are being nice to yourself. It’s easier to be happy that way.
When you forgive yourself, you are offering self-care. This sends nourishing messages to the brain about your self-worth.
Try, every day, to care for yourself in every way possible.
When stress accumulates, this facial massage meditation will relieve muscles and leave you feeling better.
Facial Massage Meditation
For many of us, the day’s stress accumulates in the muscles of the head, face, and jaw. Massaging your face and head can smooth the tiny muscles and nerve endings. Stress and fatigue will have a chance to disappear.
Begin this meditation by finding a quiet place where you will be undisturbed for a few minutes.
Lie flat on a chair, bed, or floor, with your face up. If that is not comfortable, find a comfortable chair or recliner to sit comfortably.
Cover your body with a light blanket or sheet so you won’t get cold as your body relaxes and cools.
Take several deep breaths. Begin these breaths in your abdominal area. Breathe in deeply and hold the breath to the count of three: 1 – 2 – 3.
Now slowly release the breath. When you exhale, you release toxins and stress.
Repeat these inhalations and exhalations 1-2 minutes. As you inhale, you l breathe in healthy air. With each exhalation, you release toxins and stress.
Become aware of your forehead. Mentally relax your forehead to erase wrinkles of expression…the space between your eyebrows becomes bigger. Your eyelids are heavy.
Move your fingers to your forehead and slowly massage it in small circles.
When you feel that your forehead is becoming relaxed, move your fingers to your temples and gently move them in clockwise and counterclockwise motions. Feel this area relaxing.
Notice the tension behind your eyes, and around your eyes and release it.
Now, place your fingers on your temples and move your fingers in small, gentle dime-size circles for a few minutes.
Move your fingers down to your chin and gently, gently pinch your chin and along your jawline to your ears.
Now, move your hands to your cheeks. Massage your soft cheek tissue in a circular motion.
Now, move your hands to your ears. Gently massage along the edges of your ears for a couple of moments. Now, give your ears some long, luscious pulls.
You are finishing your facial massage now. Notice any thoughts, feelings, or sensations you experience now.
Stay quiet for 1-2 minutes while you enjoy and refresh from this experience.
It is time now to return to the present time.
It is okay to return to this place of calm whenever you need.
The goal of this meditation is to experience calm and relaxation using self-touch.
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Thank you for reading this article. I sincerely hope it helps you feel better about yourself and those around you.
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I host “Let’s Live with Thurman Greco”, a program aired weekly on Woodstock’s own educational TV channel 23. This show is an informative, upbeat hour with no rehearsals.
My guests are various people whose lives have brought them to Woodstock for a day, a week, an hour, a decade, or more. Let’s Live has been running for over 15 years with an occasional intermission, now and then. You can find some reruns on YouTube “Let’s Live with Thurman Greco”.
Renee, our channel wizard adds new programs weekly, usually on Tuesdays..
The Friday evening show airs in Woodstock at 7:00 in the studio located in the Woodstock Community Center on Rock City Road for an hour.
Renee and I both look forward to new subscribers.
13 Things I Learned from Animals about Self-Care
For me, animals are all about self-care.
1. Since learning animal communication in the 1990s, animals of all shapes and sizes, both as pets or as creatures living in the wild, have taught me they choose to be a part of our lives.
Whether a dog, cat, or squirrel in a tree, they present themselves to us in ways that attract our attention.
2. They are here to care for us. When I experience periods of difficulty and challenge, they see themselves as a caregiver during that time.
3. Pets in your life hear, see, and understand everything that happens. Cats, in particular, are tuned into conversations and daily activities.
4. Animals are not colorblind. They see things in color. They do see things in a different way from how we as humans see them. That’s to be expected. After all, their eyes are located in different parts of their faces. Their eyes are different sizes depending on the animal.
That means they see more things in more ways than humans. Several animals have discussed auras with me. One, a llama, used aura recognition daily. If he didn’t like a person’s aura, he didn’t like the person. End of subject.
For some, the colors have meanings. It all depends on the animal. These colors may have spiritual value. Or, they may be perceived as protection.
5. Your pets also see orbs and other things invisible to our human eyes. They see spirits in and around the house. Some dogs bark at them. Others do not.
6. When you bring home a new puppy, he quickly decides what he needs to do to be a successful member of the household. One breed, a bichon, seems to do this a little better than other breeds.
7. Horses are very wise and beautiful creatures. Our communication experiences revealed intelligent, spiritual, creative beings who are conscious of the current conditions of the health of our planet.
8. Dogs can be very aware of the human’s situation. I’ve met several poodles who were in a traumatic household situation. As the human became more stressed, the dog became more grounded. This grounding was important to the successful outcome of a situation.
9. I like to attune the animals when I am attuning a person at a Reiki class. This is especially helpful if there is an ill person in the household.
When I do an attunement, I give an attunement to each pet in the household. I do not charge extra for this. I simply offer the attunement to encourage the healing process.
10. Animals are not afraid of death. When I discuss death with animals, I learn that they remember past lives. They remember why they are in embodiment at this time.
11. Animals, for whatever reason, prefer truth. They believe it. They share it.
12. Animals know about forgiveness. They practice forgiveness. They live forgiveness. This knowledge and practice of forgiveness allows them to love their humans unconditionally.
13. Goats are good communicators. My experience with them has been they like to tell the truth – no matter what that is.
A goat named Tyler Too taught me to communicate. After a few conversations, he communicated with me honestly that animal communication would not be my primary career path. He told me that I was a healer.
And, of course, Tyler turned out to be correct.
Thank you for reading this article. Please share this blog post with your friends and family. Forward it to your favorite social media network.
If you want to learn more, please explore both old blog posts and the YOUTUBE shows.
Self-care can be healing. We are all healers. I am here to be a conduit for your own healing. 
Regular, or even occasional reflexology sessions help.
Do you practice Reiki therapy? Share it with an animal.
Find out more at www.thurmangreco.com.
Thanks, Thurman Greco
