Turning into a New Year Focused on Self Care #selfcare #innertruth #writing

On By Alethea KehasIn Reflections
Photo Credit: Pixabay

It has now been more than a month since I have posted on my blog. I have allowed myself to be pulled elsewhere, but have not been idle when it comes to creating. Instead, I have decided to dig into the work of creation in every sense of the word in which I can define it.

Last year was a really tough year for me. It tested me in many ways, and what came out of this testing was a deep knowing that I need to return to myself. As completely as I can. I don’t think I’m alone. These divisive times call us individually and collectively to come home to ourselves, and in the process find what unites us to the web-of-life we are all a part of.

For me, self care has taken the form of no more substitute teaching as the stress far outweighed the benefits for me. Being underpaid and undervalued is a life pattern I am striving to release. It’s not easy to navigate back into the paying workforce when one consumes so much time into childcare, but I would not have changed focusing on my children and now teenagers as they grow into their selves.

Instead, I am realizing what I now have to offer the world and am finding unexplored paths to bring my creative energies into existence. In my writing life, I am moving into the third book in my middle-grade Warriors of Light fantasy series while a group of beta readers are going through the second book. I have decided self-publishing is not for me, so am exploring the somewhat more daunting world of finding a traditional publisher for the series.

I am also writing more poetry, after a bit of a lapse. I have collected a group of spiritual “yoga” poems in a file that are simmering in prospects as I also delve into the shadowland of the self to create from the raw material of pain that seeks voice. They are braver poems then I am used to writing, but I find them necessary and healing. It feels good to be bold where I have previously held myself back.

This boldness includes breaking into the world of podcasts and I am happy to announce I will be a guest on the first of what I hope will be several at the beginning of February. I will be sharing more on that later. In addition to guest podcasting, I am creating online workshops with a friend of mine. These endeavors have made it clear that I need to amp up my marketing game. Marketing, ironically is the field I was in before I had children. Not by choice so much as by default. The pay was good and I had a knack for the work.

I am finding marketing and marketing writing is much easier when it is not focused on yourself. This too is breaking me out of my comfort zone. There will be a shoot with a professional photographer soon, I hope. The scheduled session had to be canceled on her end because of COVID-like symptoms. I’ll need to channel some of my daughter’s confidence to do these, but they are necessary for the endeavors I am pursuing.

As I am going through this process of self care and delving into what I wish to bring forth into the world, I am noticing how freeing it is to release what is no longer serving me in a positive manner. This release opens the door for that “good” stuff to come in that feels true to the soul. I am reminded that the self, and the world we are a part of, is not served by staying small inside the confines of self-doubt and fear. The light comes in and goes out through the open door.

36 thoughts on “Turning into a New Year Focused on Self Care #selfcare #innertruth #writing”

  6. You have a wonderful start to the new year, Alethea. I substituted thirty-plus years ago before getting a full-time teaching job. I know how hard it is. Good for your decision. Since you have published books, it’s a little easier to find a publisher. They like to see the sales records, I found out. Your marketing plan sounds positive. Best wishes to you! 🙂

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  8. “I need to return to myself.” I have been there. I am there. After 30 years as a helping professional, now retired, I can still drift and need to return to me. So, reading where you are right now in this process is exciting! YES! The best is yet to come!

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  10. Lovely post.
    I especially like: ” I am noticing how freeing it is to release what is no longer serving me in a positive manner. This release opens the door for that “good” stuff to come in that feels true to the soul.”
    Best wishes.
    Chaya

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  12. Hi Aalethea – I think you are making some excellent choices. Last year was a also a bad year for me after the loss of my brother. Self-care is so important, but hard to make time for. I may have mentioned in earlier comments that I was out of the paying workforce for 20 years at home with my children and I found it really hard to reimagine myself. But once the ideas start, there are more after that. Your podcasts and workshops sound like interesting projects – I’m looking forward to hearing more about them. Best wishes to you!

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    1. Wow, that’s a long time! I don’t regret my decision to leave. I was only making $75/day and most days were simply not worth the headache, as you say. There were rare days that were sort-of wonderful, but not enough of them. Thank you for reading and sharing, Grace 🕊

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      1. I agree. I was subbing high school and often in choir or ceramics (arts are a specialty of mine) so it was often fun, but the constant classroom management finally wore me down. And, as you mentioned, the pay is not great. It got me through my master’s program though, and now I teach college…and most of those students want to be there, so a much different experience. Anyhow..great to read your post, and nice to “meet” you! 🙂

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  15. Pingback: Turning into a New Year Focused on Self Care #selfcare #innertruth #writing – The Jedi Mind Trick

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