Beautiful Self-Care
I was recently reading ‘Renewed’ by Lucille Zimmerman and an excerpt from her book stood out at me. It reads:
Most of us are able to recognise something beautiful, but trying to describe what makes it so is much more difficult. Think about it. What is it about a particular scene, painting or song that makes it beautiful?
I have often used this photo of Manarola to talk about Self-Care.
I took this photo on my trip to Italy in 2013. On this day, I was nearing the end of having a cold that wouldn’t go away. When I walked to the cliff side (where this photo was taken from), I found a rock to sit on. I sat for almost an hour. Listening, watching, smelling, touching, tasting.
Listening, to the many sounds around me. People walking past chatting to their friends. The sound of bicycle wheels on the footpath as cyclists road past. The sound of the waves crashing up against the rocks. Hearing people gasp in amazement of the view they were taking in.
Watching, people from all walks of life (travellers from all nations, and locals) enjoy the surrounds. Some were having a swim while others were laying in the sun. The locals were trying to get people to come into their restaurant or they were running errands. I was particularly intrigued as I watched the waves crash against the rocks and especially seeing how high the waves would come and how low they would go after they had crashed. I remember taking these photos (below), to show how high it was in comparison to where the ladder would usually be seen.
I was taking in the smells around me. Walkers who had obviously been walking for a while, because I could smell their sweat (yuck)… The beautiful saltiness of the ocean, the nature smells from the rocks, trees, weeds and flowers around the cliff where I was sitting.
The touch of the rocks beneath my feet. The hot railing that I would stand near to take some photos in the scorching sun. I felt the warmth of the sun on my shoulders and the hardness of the rock that I was sitting on while trying to rest and relax.
And finally taste. What was I tasting? As I was sitting there taking in this beauty I was keeping my fluids up so I was tasting the refreshment of water. I was also tasting the saltiness in the air from the ocean as the waves crashed up against the rocks.
This experience in Italy overlooking Manarola will stay with me forever. It was the favourite part of my trip and that’s because I didn’t have to be anywhere, I could take in everything around me and be.
Even when I was on holidays I still exercised Self-Care and thought about how I could look after myself.
What experience do you remember where you can describe what you heard, saw, touched, tasted and smelt? Share your experience with us.
Journeez Counselling and Training Adelaide, are specialists in Self-Care and learning to look after yourself in this fast-paced society. Please contact me today for further information about counselling or my Self-Care workshops and seminars for businesses, churches or community groups. You are also welcome to join the Journeez community by subscribing to this blog above or follow me on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Discovering Life to the Fullest.
