Personal Self-Care Plan | Adrienne e-Portfolio

What does self-care mean to me?

For me, self-care is taking time to do things that I enjoy and to practice mindfulness throughout the day. Implementing these practices helps me to feel energized, and thus I have more capacity to be engaged in my work.

Strategies to Maintain Mental health

I believe it is incredibly important for stress management that there is time built into a packed schedule to engage with art in some capacity, whether it be through creating it, consuming it or sharing it. I do this by painting, drawing, creative writing and reading.

However, when these things are not possible, I believe you can connect with the art that is in the natural world around you. Taking time to step into nature is key to supporting my mental health.

Another vital piece to maintaining my mental health is spending time with my support network. This includes socializing with friends and family, as well as playing with my pets.

Each of these activities contribute to a practice called mindfulness.

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is a practice that involves being present in the current moment. It means being aware of your feelings without passing judgement upon them, but merely acknowledging them and grounding yourself in what you sense.

Mindfulness is not always easy. It is a meditative process that takes practice to implement, and can be key to positive mental health.

Any moment you are engaged with a task and connected to your sensations, even if it is merely examining some flowers like the ones to the left, can contribute to mindfulness.

Mindfulness Activities

In Field II I had the opportunity to participate in and implement a variety of learning experiences on mindfulness and meditation. These activities were integral to supporting my own mental health throughout the field experience.

My fellow student-teacher and I ran a mindfulness lesson that involved water painting on cardboard, pictured to the right. This activity promotes mindfulness because it immerses students into a creative moment. They can twirl their brush and watch the water soak into the page, but the activity is low-stakes as the image vanishes quickly and there is no planning involved. Our Grade 10 students settled peacefully into this activity and expressed that it was very restful for them.

Strategies to Maintain Physical health

To maintain my physical health, it is very important for me to get enough rest at night and eat filling meals. I also enjoy spending time in nature by going for walks and moving my body by skating, practicing yoga and kayaking.

my Self Care Goal

My self care goal for the future is to pursue more physical exercise. While I spend time doing light movements and exploring the outdoors, I want to push myself to sweat a bit more to increase my stamina and strength. Caring for your body is essential to avoid burnout, and your endurance levels can play a large part in this.