Friday Five, Self-Care Edition

Oh, this is a difficult Friday Five for me, because I am notorious for engaging in the "burnt toast syndrome" -- i.e., assigning myself sloppy seconds instead of taking care of myself in a mindful way. But, anyway -- the week's question is, what are our four favorite self-care activities, and what is a fifth one that we don't do, or do much, that we would maybe like to do, or do more?

1. Sleep. How I love sleep. When I was little, my parents never had to nag me into going to bed; from a tiny tot on, I learned how to take off my clothes, put on my jammies, and go to bed by myself. Now, for various reasons, I have lately been very bad at getting enough sleep; it took my recent bout with sickness to force me into an 8- or even 9-hour sleeping schedule, instead of 5 or 6 hours. But I am starting to notice a positive difference in how I feel and think. So goodbye Letterman, hello blankie.

2. Soap. If cleanliness is next to godliness, I should be glowing with holy light...because I love hot, soapy showers. I love soap -- especially artisanal, cottage-industry soaps infused with fragrant herbs and oils. Ah...I wish that was where I was right now.

3. Chocolate. Well, that one is pretty self-explanatory.

4. Beauty. No, not the beauty shop kind. I mean indulging myself with beautiful things -- a flower arrangement (even if the flowers come from the side of the road), looking at art that pleases me, listening to music I enjoy. This is actually one of those things that I probably under-ration in my life.

5. "I Wish I May, I Wish I Might." This is an interesting question. As much as I hate to admit this, I think the self-care activity that I would like to, and need to, do more of but don't is...praying for myself. Praying for other people comes easily to me, but praying for myself, not so much. My prayers for own behalf tend to be along the lines of a drive-by, "Oh, you know what I need" -- as if God has a lot of other people in the waiting room and is glancing impatiently at the clock on the wall -- instead of laying it all out on the table the way the Psalmists did.

I think, secondarily, another self-care action that I need to allow myself more of is chaos management. Because giving one's living and working spaces over to chaos -- clutter, disorganization -- can be a way to be mean to oneself, not just a right-brained personality quirk. I have been swishing and swiping and shining with the other beginner Flyladies, and am steeling myself for some of the other assigned weekly tasks, which I know, deep down, will help me feel better about my home and myself when I finally do them.