Creative Self Care With Crystal McLain
Join wellness facilitator, Crystal McLain, as she explores creative ways to care for the mind, body and mother-lovin' soul, so we can live healthy, empowered and fulfilling lives, individually and collectively.
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Creative Self Care With Crystal McLain
Permission to Pause, Retreat, and Reset
Sometimes you need to tap out, tune in, and do a hard reset in life. This is your permission to take a pause and unapologetically prioritize yourself.
Hey, hi, how are you? Happy New Year. So you may have noticed that I've been a bit quieter than usual and the truth is I've been out living one of my core beliefs, which is to step back and practice what I preach. As a wellness mentor and an advocate for creative self-care, I spend a lot of time teaching others how to nurture their mind, body and soul in ways that feel sustainable and authentic and real, and I encourage my clients to slow down and to check in with themselves and to tune into their body's wisdom and all of that. And guess what? That's exactly what I've been doing.
Speaker 1:You know it's so easy to get caught up in their constant rhythm of content creation, feeling the pressure to always be on, but I've learned the hard way, like most of us do, that if I do not practice what I preach, I'm not doing my clients or my audience or myself any justice, and that is why I had to step back and tune in and respect my energy levels, because, let me tell you, mine were fucking low. Let me tell you mine were fucking low. So I've been deep in the trenches of my own self-care practices and prioritizing my rest and reflection and the kind of mindful activities that help me to truly reconnect with myself and address some of the other things that I've been somewhat neglecting. And address some of the other things that I've been somewhat neglecting Because I too am a human and I get swept up in life's distractions and fall prey to false ideas of what I should be doing, just like anyone else. But I've also learned to trust my body and my mood and my little soul gremlin when they chime in and tell me that it's time to scale back on the workload and to prioritize some things that make me healthier and happier, which is hard right. I think we all have our habits and hobbies, and family and work or something in our lives that does feel satisfying in some way, because, honestly, my work feels very, very satisfying. Anyway, we dump a lot of our time and energy into that thing, but if that thing is hindering our health or growth in other areas of our lives, it's time to recalibrate the balance.
Speaker 1:So I wanted for today to not so much be an explanation of where my, of my whereabouts, but more of a permission slip to hit the pause button and reassess how you're spending your time and energy and maybe some other resources. I wanted this to be a reminder to really check in with your actual needs, your values and those lingering desires. I feel like we're in for a turbulent year, with a fair amount of stressors and change, and I want to do all that I can to holistically support myself in the days ahead so that I can do my best to help support you with your wellness journey. This break has reminded me of a fundamental truth that I try to share with my clients and my audience, which is self-care is a lifelong, ever-changing practice and not something you finish, and not only is it okay to slow down and take a step back and to reevaluate your needs, but it's necessary. So please, please, please, please, please. Do not feel guilty about taking a break or changing course or reestablishing boundaries or reinventing yourself or your lifestyle. You and this entire world is part of an evolutionary process, and that takes time and contemplation.
Speaker 1:All right, my friend, I'm very much looking forward to slowly finding my sustainable groove here at CMC and getting back to some content creation. But, in the spirit of my 2025 intentions of accessibility and ease, I'm fiddling around with a new way of delivering the Creative Self-Care Masterclass. You can always access what I have so far through Patreon, even if you're not a member. But I feel like I want to simplify my offerings and make them lighter and more fun, because I think we're going to need more of that this year. All right, if you want to make sure that you never miss a post, you can sign up for my newsletter, and if you ever decide you want to support my work, you can join my friends at Patreon. I love you, I appreciate you and I will see you sooner than later. Okay, bye.