This is the beginning of a check list for you to evaluate how you are doing in caring for yourself as a clergy. In other blogs, I have suggested practical ways to care for the self in the six areas of physical, emotional, financial, family, spiritual, and vocational care. Here I want to suggest some areas of self-care, regardless of the particular practice you use. You won’t use all of them but they may suggest ideas that you may want to explore.
Begin with your physical health:
1. A regular, yearly, physical check-up may seem obvious but is often neglected.
2. Do you have a regular exercise program that you practice?
Does it have both a strength component and a cardio component?
3. Is there a sport that you participate in that helps you stay in shape?
4. How would you evaluate your diet? Do you try to have a balanced diet and limit your intake of unhealthy foods?
5. Is your weight within some healthy margin?
6. Do you belong to a Y or sports club that encourages you to exercise?
7. Do you have a home exercise machine?
8. Do you participate in Yoga, Tai Chi, Pilate, or some other stretch and relax program?
9. Do you have a partner(s) that help you stay accountable for your exercising?
10. Are you part of either a running or walking regimen?
11. Do you have a mini-exercise routine that you can use when you are traveling or limited in time?
12. Do you know how to practice meditation or relaxation breathing when you are under stress?
13. Are you aware of signs of stress in your body that alert you to the need to reduce your level of stress?
14. Are you familiar with some basic first aid if you should experience injury?
15. Do you get sufficient sleep to restore your body?
16. Are you aware of certain relaxation techniques when you have trouble sleeping?
Your physical health is important. Consider some of these and other ways that you can stay healthy.
