Inspiration, purpose & self-care

Below some of our MOOC contributors share the struggle of their own self-care and some tips too. Watch all of them or be selective, and then consider and respond to one or more of the questions at the bottom of the page - either in your Learning journal or by joining the conversation on the discussion board.

'I wish I could give them more and I have to remind myself that I can only do so much.' Dr Nohemi Ramirez Aranda (RECOMS fellow)

'Especially when you care about a topic and you feel very ambitious, you tend to feel also quite responsible and tend to forget yourself.' Lummina G Horlings

'If you're not caring for yourself you're not in a place to be able to care for others.' Jon Berry

'For me self-care often is working with people - that I can just be me...' Geraldine Brown

‘I realised I just couldn't care for others anymore unless I really seriously took my own self care in my hands.’ Chiara Tornaghi

‘You need to stop, you need to disconnect and do need to find some space…’ Dr Gloria Giambartolomei

QUESTIONS:

• Do any of the challenges of self-care mentioned above resonate with you?
• What self-care practices do you prioritise?
• If you can't think of any, please spend some time thinking about the things that nourish you and give you energy. How can you incorporate them into your schedule?
• What things drain you?
• What do you do in order to remain aware of your own personal needs and mindful of how to sustain your own well-being?