Summer can be a busy time for many of us, especially with the start of HCPL's Summer Reading Program. While some of us are busy planning our summer vacations and balancing time off work with our children’s extracurricular schedules, others are working more hours to make a little extra money without the much-needed reprieve. Not to mention with the dreaded Houston heat, everyone is a little bit more on edge when they’re melting in rush hour traffic (for those who don’t know: it is HOT, and it is HUMID).
With that said, summer is also a great time to focus on self-care for the body, mind, and soul. I know many of us are thinking that we don’t have extra time to spare in our busy schedules. But it really is important to our overall health to take the time to recharge. This could mean spending time meditating to free your mind of stress, taking a walk in the park to reconnect with the world around us, or even giving yourself a little extra time to indulge in what makes you happy. For me, it means ordering bubble tea once a week and simply watching the world go by for a few blissful sips.
Regardless of how you choose to partake in self-care, the number one rule is to be kind to yourself. No negative thoughts, no stress about yesterday’s or tomorrow’s decisions. Just be in the present and give back to yourself for all of the hard work that you do.
If you’re looking for some ideas to kick off the start of your Summer Reading, here are a few recommendations to help you revamp your self-care routine:
The Extremely Busy Woman's Guide to Self Care
I think the title is pretty self-explanatory, and while written for women, I think anyone could glean a bit of wisdom from Falter’s writing. “How can I manage it all?” you might ask? Start here and see where the road to self-reflection takes you.
Mayo Clinic Guide to Self Care
Many of us often forget that everything else falls out of balance when we forget to take care of our bodies. This book will help keep you in tip-top shape and provide examples of when to see a physician. *Disclaimer: this book is only for reference and should not take the place of an actual doctor*
The Everyday Ayurveda Guide to Self-care
For those of us that dislike pharmaceutical medication, holistic self-care might be worth a try. From essential oils to natural herbs, this guide explains the history, the practices, and the routines of this ancient approach.
On the other hand...if you can’t imagine yourself trying a juice cleanse or aligning your chakras, then this guide might be more up your alley. This book takes a more hands-on approach using clinically proven psychology to help us learn how to better ourselves from the inside out.
This humorous novel challenges dozens of self-care practices and shares Trebenski’s own perspective on her results. If you need a sassy but honest narrator to guide you into your own self-care journey, this may be the book for you.
Can’t find quite what you’re looking for? Search HCPL’s catalog for self-care materials
Check out Summer Reading Programs across HCPL for adults and sign up on Beanstack
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