I’m excited to share this guest post from Yollana Shore, owner of Soul Business. You might also know this amazing Aussie as a coach with Heart of Business. I
n this post from her blog she shares her insights from the work we did together. Check out the pictures of her self care cards. You might just feel inspired to make some of your own.
_____________________
Are you taking care of yourself?
I never knew that I was sabotaging myself in this area, until I attended the Sacred Moment Seminar in Portland, OR earlier this year. The seminar was about how to talk navigate that sacred moment in a sales conversation where you and your client decide to work together. But I had another important conversation while I was there.
… Even if I never signed up with Sharon Roemmel for her truly awesome Self Care Coaching, that conversation probably would have changed my life. Because through her gentle questioning, I saw my game. I saw that I was happy to work, contribute, serve in my work, family and friendship circles. And I was willing to tend to my own needs now and again in a haphazard kind of way, and when I really needed to. But no way was I going to invest any time or money in my own general well being if there was no measurable and productive result for my family at the end.
Damn.
Does this sound familiar?
Are you also a passionate, erm, workaholic? Do you ever say “I must get a massage…” and then conveniently forget about booking one for another six months? Is it easier to spend money on looking after your children/spouse/friends than it is on looking after yourself? If this is sounding familiar, then hey – I know how you feel. And, read on. You might have something to learn from my recent journey with this.
The myth of productivity: time x work = outcome
When I work hard and focus on serving and contributing, it’s because I have a vision for how I want to make a difference in the world. That’s what powers, motivates and drives my efforts. There’s something I’m wanting to achieve. The myth is that achieving my goals is a direct function of time and work. If that were true, I would only have to work harder and longer to achieve more.
What’s missing from this picture? Perspective. Strategy. Inspiration.
If you’ve ever tried to push ‘against the flow’ to finish a job, only to find that your work has become redundant, then you probably already know what I mean. Or maybe you’ve approached a job thinking it was going to take forever, and then somehow – in a flash of inspiration – you got it done in a quarter of the time. This is the power of Inspiration. Or there’s the power of Strategy, where taking time out from the ‘coalface’ of your work, you see the bigger picture, and map a more effective path forward. Whether you are accessing spontaneous guidance or planning an effective strategy, you need space away from the busy-ness, to connect with yourself, your heart, the project.
How long does it take to get Perspective? Well, somewhere between two seconds and two months, I guess! The amount of time you need depends on the amount of stress and disconnection that you’re carrying. But, in general, 5 to 10 minutes can go a long way.
The Secret Key to getting perspective and being productive
“I’ve seen how talented you are! You are a great presenter, healer and coach… and you really shine. But just imagine how much more you will shine when you are actually taking care of yourself?”
When Sharon said this in our first conversation, I caught a glimpse of something truly awesome. Me.
Seriously, though. I saw that I could be doing my work from a place of abundance. My cup was full and running over. I wasn’t overworked, overtired, or stressed out. I was shining. Shining big. And it would have been possible only because I had made space for my own self-care.
And only one week into my own self care process, I was already seeing these kinds of results. I had freed up more time for my creative projects – projects that will ultimately become products in my business. I was more relaxed with my husband and kids, which made them feel more supportive of my work. I was better rested physically and had sorted out some emotional stuff that was weighing on me, both of which gave me more energy to shine in my work.
Get the picture?
It doesn’t have to be hard
In fact, looking after yourself can be wonderfully fun and deeply rewarding. Especially if you do it your way. I had thought that stepping up my own self care would require more organisation, structure and discipline. And that just sounded like more work to me. No wonder I was resistant!
But there are a thousand creative solutions to nourishing yourself. And the first step is to get in touch with what you truly need and want. Just ask: What would nourish me and give me joy right now?
I had a lot of ideas about that. And because I’m not so hot on routine, Sharon suggested I make my very own “self care cards” that I can pull at random. And I even have permission to put one back and pick another one if it feels hard or just not fun at the time. How cool is that?! I was so pleased with how these gorgeous cards turned out that I couldn’t resist sharing some pics with you here:
I printed out the list of self care items that we brainstormed. 
I coloured them and added symbols to represent emotional, physical and spiritual self care, etc.
And here they are, ready to inspire!
_________________
Want to know more about the lovely Yollana Shore, owner of Soul Coach? 
In her words “My name is Yollana Shore. My own soul calling is to help you find and fulfill yours. I call myself a soul path illuminator. I’m also a healing guide and business coach. For over a decade, I’ve been working with individuals and groups, helping them to clear away the unresolved emotions, limiting thought patterns, and unhealed issues that stop them from finding and fulfilling their soul calling.”