A Gentle Reflection on Self-Care
Dear Mountain Song Community,
Lately I have been reflecting on the idea of self-care, and how easily it can begin to feel like just one more thing on an already full to-do list.
When we hear the words self-care, it can sometimes bring to mind images of spa days or elaborate routines. While those things can certainly be nourishing, they are only one small version of what caring for ourselves can look like.
In truth, self-care is as unique and varied as each of us.
It shifts and changes with our needs, our seasons of life, and even from one day to the next. There is no single “right” way to care for ourselves, and perhaps most importantly, it does not need to come with any sense of “should.”
Self-care might look like sitting in the car for a few extra minutes after work before walking into the house.
It might be waking up thirty minutes early to enjoy a quiet cup of coffee before the day begins. Sometimes it is movement and fresh air.
Sometimes it is resting on the couch and watching a favorite show.
At its heart, self-care is a quiet question we ask ourselves:
What do I need in this moment?
And yet, as parents, this can be surprisingly difficult.
We spend so much of our time tending to others that turning inward can feel unfamiliar, and sometimes even uncomfortable. It can feel like an indulgence to pause and listen to our own needs.
I notice this in my own life. Something as simple as taking three slow, intentional breaths before I begin getting ready in the morning feels deeply nourishing. And still, I find it hard to make space for even that small moment.
Even more so when it comes to sitting in stillness for five or ten minutes, simply breathing and being.
It is interesting how often the things that nourish us most can also be the hardest to step into.
Perhaps this is because caring for ourselves asks us to shift, even briefly, out of doing and into being.
And yet, when we do allow ourselves these small moments; when we pause, breathe, let a favorite song finish on the radio, or simply sit in quiet, we begin to fill ourselves in a different way.
In Waldorf education we often speak of tending an inner garden. These small acts of self-care are like drops of water and rays of sunlight. They may seem simple, even insignificant, but over time they nourish something deep within us.
And from that place, something beautiful happens.
What we cultivate within ourselves naturally begins to flow outward. A bit more patience. A bit more presence. A bit more light.
This is not something we need to do perfectly. It is not another task to accomplish or something to feel behind on.
Instead, it can be a gentle practice of noticing.
A breath.
A pause.
A small moment of kindness toward ourselves.
I hope this serves as a soft reminder that self-care does not need to be a heavy lift or carry any sense of guilt or expectation.
Sometimes it is simply a quiet moment that helps light the path forward.
With care,
Kim Butler, Licensed School Counselor, LPC
Director of Mental Health Systems