Oh How I Love Massages!

So I went with my best friend to have a spa day in Kohler. Let me just plug here and say the Kohler Waters Spa at the American Club was amazing. The staff was phenomenal and it was such a relaxing atmosphere. All the stress I had built up from working summer camp is all gone. At least until I start internship next week :-) It wasn't a cheap spa to go to but it was totally worth the money.

Okay now that I have added my shameless plug, lets chat about self-care. Ever since undergrad, I have found that doing stuff for myself is really important. When I get stressed and tired, I get crabby. No one wants to be around me when I get like that. It used to be that I could just read a really good free read book and that would do the trick. But I have found that lately that just doesn't rejuvenate me quite like it used to. It is becoming ever more evident through classes and all the work that I am throwing myself into that self-care is truly important. I carry my stress in my shoulders and when it feels like they are up to my ears, then I know I need to do something. Going to a spa, getting a massage, or getting my nails done, really does help me relax. I can spend a few hours not thinking about the things that I have yet to do or the crazy things that have been happening.

I think its so very important to find a way for everyone to relieve their stress. Having too much stress can be detrimental to your health. I was reading an article in a magazine today that said even missing 1 hour of sleep a night can be awful for your health. You can "catch up" on the weekend but after a while it can really start taking a toll on your health. So much so you can have high blood pressure amongst other issues. So part of self-care that I struggle with is making sure that I get a good night's rest. Sometimes there is just so much to do but I know that if I don't get sleep, my day will not go as I want it to. Some people say that they can run on five hours of sleep, I bet that cant be true. I need at least seven in order to function somewhat okay. Eight is even better!

I want to hear from you! What are your favorite things to do for self-care? When you are really stressed as a school counselor, what do you do? Who do you go to when you just need to talk it out?

That's all for tonight. I am going back to watching the women's U.S. gymnastics championships. Wish I could be as fit as these ladies! Goodnight all.

Jennifer