Self-Care: An Act Of Courage
In this blog post, I focus on courageous self-care and share a personal experience with you. My intention is to inspire you to make a change. I invite you to give yourself permission to step into your courage and confidence to look after yourself, even though it might feel a little scary at first!
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My afro expresses my heritage, creativity and being true to myself | Selfie by Amy-Jo Lynch in Ica, Peru
Courageous self-care 😅
Rather frustratingly, the seemingly simple things you can do to take good care of yourself sometimes take a lot of courage. Perhaps more than you first anticipated, yet are still worth pursuing if they will enhance your life. I often find that the things I really want to do that also make me feel a little uncomfortable, so much so that I might resist initially, can often offer an opportunity for considerable personal growth. Ultimately, connecting to my intuition, inspires me to trust myself and guides me to embrace some of the things I have feared the most. I’d like to share one such moment with you.
Some years ago, I became increasingly drawn to the idea of growing my hair in its natural state, meaning an afro hairstyle. Up until then, I had been chemically straightening my hair for quite some time, with regular trips to my local hair salon for maintenance whilst connecting in a comforting space to chat and flick through the latest trends in Black Beauty and Essence magazines to name but a few. And at the same time, my interest in using natural oils for my hair and body, as well as being more conscious of what I was eating and using to care for myself, steadily grew.
It soon dawned on me that I wanted to do things differently and wear my hair in an afro. I was greatly inspired by photos of my mum when she was younger, sporting a beautiful afro in an array of colours over the years. The only way to do that was to cut off my hair, also known as “The Big Chop” (BC), and start afresh with a “Tweeny Weeny Afro” (TWA). It felt like the most daunting and insurmountable task, at the time, but deep down in my gut, I knew that it was the right decision for me. Even though I was worried about what others might think of me and how I would look. Encouraged by my mum (who went on to cut her own hair in solidarity ❤️) and after watching countless YouTube videos, I mustered up the courage to book an appointment with my hairdresser. I still remember the date.
Working together ✨
Are you unsure of what you would like to do next in your life and career? Maybe you have a yearning to make a change that both excites and scares you in equal measure. As your Wellbeing Coach, I can support you to get clearer on (and closer to) your goal in a meaningful way that feels authentic to you. You don’t have to navigate your personal and professional challenges alone. I empower busy professionals and entrepreneurs to prioritise wellbeing and self-care whilst achieving their ambitions. It is an honour to create space for insights and candid conversation, leaving you feeling listened to, understood and moving forward in life. Book a call and let’s talk about working together. I got you!
On reflection, setting the date was certainly a helpful way to help keep me accountable: I signalled to myself that I was committed and was going to go through with it. And I am so glad that I did! I experienced conflicting emotions. It felt exposing, exciting, terrifying, and most of all, it felt LIBERATING! Admittedly, I received mixed reactions from the people around me, including bewilderment, though mostly positive ones. To be honest, the only opinion that really mattered to me was my own. This time in my life was an important part of my journey of self-discovery. A transformative experience. I found the courage to give myself what I needed and put self-love into action, being kind and gentle to myself. Self-care for sure!
Pause: Courageous self-care…can you relate? Maybe there is something you have done before and wish to repeat or you just need some encouragement to do something for the first time. I invite you to draw on your inner strength and resources to get started. You have this space to support you too!
Putting myself out there (even more)
I'm soooo excited to tell you about my YouTube channel, where I'll be sharing videos inspired by my blog posts. I have listened to your feedback and now you can hear my wise words (ha!) in your own time. Enjoy whilst commuting to work, at your desk, chilling on the sofa, on the loo, taking a break, lying on your bed, hanging out with your loved ones, or even on a plane, train or automobile (for my John Candy and Steve Martin fans - if you know, you know!) And, importantly, Be Your Own Date will be even more accessible in alignment with my mission to inspire you to be kind to yourself and to get to know yourself better through sharing quality self-care and wellbeing content. So, I’m putting myself out there (even more) and sharing my YouTube channel with you.
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Be kind to yourself. Be Your Own Date.
~ Amy-Jo ☀️
Disclaimer: The content of this blog is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. For that, you will need to speak to your GP and/or local health provider.
