The importance of self-care

Long-term readers may recall this message from 2011.

To all the friends and caregivers out there, during this week of Christmas, please take time to care for yourself. It's natural for many of us to work hard to find the right gift for family or friends, to send the cards, to bake the cookies, to prepare the meal, to clean the house, to wrap the gifts, to decorate the tree, to be sure we've invited the right people, and on, and on. And then there's the clean-up of wrappings, of food, of the house, the ornaments, and more. And then it's back to work, worrying about extra pounds and paying bills. Take a moment for yourself. Take more than a moment. Take an afternoon. Take a day. Take time to care for yourself. It is the best gift you can give anyone. The better you take care of your self, the better you can take care of those you love. I wish you a peaceful, joyful, loving holiday and a week where you actually find a day or more to do nothing for anyone else but yourself. To paraphrase The Beatles, you're going to carry that weight for a long time, and the love you take is equal to the love you make. You can't take love offered by others unless you are well enough to make a loving way in this world yourself. You must take care of yourself in order to take care of others. Be well. Give yourself the love of the season so you may blossom in the new year.