Pause
by Erlene Grise-Owens, EdD, LCSW, MSW, MRE, lead co-editor of The A-to-Z Self-Care Handbook for Social Workers and Other Helping Professionals
My last blog post was about quitting and its important role in self-care. But, sometimes, instead of quitting something altogether, we need to pause for a period of time to reflect, recharge, revise, re-vision, rest, re-set, re-re whatever needs to be “re”ed. 😊
Pausing to RE-ing in the New Year!
As I assess my 2022 commitments and anticipate a new year, I’ve decided to pause writing new posts for this blog until January, 2023. My experience in academia taught me the value of sabbaticals—an extended pause from routine. As part of my self-care commitment, I took every sabbatical available. These times were powerfully reflective, refreshing, and productive. In the pause from routine, I could focus on particular projects, professional development, and personal priorities that kept getting put aside in more immediate demands. After sabbatical, I returned to my routine more grounded and re-energized.
In this pause, I’m recalibrating some commitments to focus on particular projects/commitments that keep getting neglected. Also, I’m planning a Reading Retreat. Reading is a favorite self-care practice for me. I have a long list and burgeoning stack of TBR (To Be Read). And, I’ve been gathering books that will especially inform and deepen my pause.
Finally, I plan to take a short pause from social media and be off-line for a brief, designated hiatus. As part of my self-care, I enjoy the connection of social media. I’m grateful for the ability to stay in touch with people I’ve met in my travels or in different life phases. However, after intense political engagement this election season and other factors, a pause will be a good rest and re-set.
Handy Resources for Sustaining Self-Care
Meanwhile, I hope you still access this blog, as our shared forum with a repository of myriad resources to support sustained self-care. Since September 2016, this repository has accumulated 140+ posts covering a range of topics. This endeavor is a labor of love. Each time I write/co-author a post or edit a guest post, I picture YOU, the reader. It’s a caring connection. I strive to provide accessible, substantive self-care that authentically engages the struggles, strategies, and successes of our shared self-care journey. As a reader wrote me, after one of my blogs resonated, “It’s like you’re walking along with us, reaching out to readers, holding our hand, and encouraging us to fully heal.”
The encouraging hand is still there when you need it. Need a reminder that self-care doesn’t always feel good? There’s a post for that. Need help practicing self-care in the Brrrr Winter months? There’s a post for that. Need to go back to basics? There’s a post for that.
Not sure what you need, but just feeling like your self-care needs a boost or a starting place? Stroll through the blog posts; reach out your hand. You’ll serendipitously find what you need. Be inspired by the likes of Lizzo, Dolly, Mr. Rogers, or yourself! Learn that celebration is part of self-care. Be reminded that oftentimes our self-care needs to be good enough.
An Invitation for Parallel Pausing
As we continue our shared self-care journeys, I invite you to consider what you need to pause. Maybe it’s a work commitment or a personal obligation. Maybe it’s realizing you don’t have the resources or passion to continue something at the same level at this time. A friend recently paused her church attendance, as she needed to reassess her engagement. Maybe it’s something you do along with others—an accountability pact. Maybe it’s a pause for an extended time-frame or as a commitment to intentionally incorporate practicing the pause as a daily practice.
Let’s do some parallel pausing and meet back here as we re-ing in 2023. This pause may pave the way for quitting, saying a definitive “No” to something. It may clarify a “not yet” realization that now is not the time for something. It may lead to re-investing in something with renewed vigor and deeper insights about priorities and purpose. I hope it evokes habit changes that include pausing as routine self-care. I look forward to re-uniting in this space as we hold hands and space on our #SelfCareMovement path.
Peace, Love, and Self-Care
Erlene
Erlene Grise-Owens, EdD, LCSW, MSW, MRE
Erlene Grise-Owens, EdD, LCSW, MSW, MRE, is a Partner in The Wellness Group, ETC. This LLC provides evaluation, training, and consultation for organizational wellness and practitioner well-being. Dr. Grise-Owens is lead editor of The A-to-Z Self-Care Handbook for Social Workers and Other Helping Professionals. As a former faculty member and graduate program director, she and a small (but mighty!) group of colleagues implemented an initiative to promote self-care as part of the social work education curriculum. Previously, she served in clinical and administrative roles. She has experience with navigating toxicity and dysfunction, up-close and personal! Likewise, as an educator, she saw students enter the field and quickly burn out. As a dedicated social worker, she believes the well-being of practitioners is a matter of social justice and human rights. Thus, she is on a mission to promote self-care and wellness!