Beyond Knitting
One Decade of Self Care!
We’ve been talking about self-care for almost ten years here, and longer elsewhere. And it’s still a polarizing term! Whoda thunk it?
Just kidding. Of course it’s still a contested term. It’s a contested idea. Maybe more now than at the dawn of MDK, with the world’s problems becoming ever more pressing.
Which is one reason we’re still talking about it. But self-care is also a simple way to describe a foundational aspect of being an adult in a complex world.
So I’m here again today with our monthly reminder that we can care about multiple things at the same time, and a collection of some of your favorite pieces. Something like a self-care starter kit.
From 2016, the piece that started it all: Self-care: What are we really talking about?
From 2017, 100 free (or very low cost) ways to practice self-care. Never more relevant!
From 2018, Is it Self-Care? Or just aspiration? Good to know the difference, especially if the aspiration in question is not your own.
From 2019, Discovering Your Life Purpose: Is That a … Good Thing? Could it be that just showing up to participate is enough?
From 2020, Self-care: Going Small. Read this one before the holidays.
From 2021, Instead of Resolutions, Just a Word. Wherein we begin our annual journey of the Word of the Year. Something to put on simmer, perhaps.
From 2022, On not keeping up: or, how to not compare our inner selves with the outer presentations of others.
From 2023, Self-care Express: Knitting! Even science agrees it’s good for you.
From 2024, Self Care to Go: useful travel tips. In case you’re heading to Rhinebeck?
Finally, from earlier this year, Memento vivere: self-care in service of our future, older selves.
As always, the comments on these pieces are the real treasure: a cornucopia of smart thinking shared between smart people. So today, below, I’d love it if you want to add anything you’ve learned about self-care in our present moment.
And know I treasure each of you, whether you comment or just read.
Image credit: Merahi metua no Tehamana (detail), Paul Gauguin, 1893, Art Institute of Chicago. Used with permission.
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Thank you for making this anniversary possible, Max! And for the round-up of articles.
Self-care now means monitoring what my eyes, ears, , heart and soul are taking in. To rest often during the day, no matter where I am. There is SO much noise, meanness, tragedies, separation, that it is essential now, for me to continually return to my inner hearth fire.
Oh!! Belly laughs are a must.
You are the best I just read a couple of older ones always inspiring…without preaching so I went swiming after this…then on to knit and pack for a quick trip! Thanks
Congratulations!!!!
I always love the artwork you choose for the heading!
You do not need permission. Too often others will try to persuade you to use what little time you have to fulfill their wants rather than your need to care for yourself. Keep those boundaries strong!
Amen!!
This is awesome! I have not read some of these, so I cannot wait to indulge myself. Thank you. I look forward to your writings. And as someone mentioned, I also enjoy the artwork. This one seems to be a nod to Hispanic Heritage Month.
Thank you so much for all of your columns! I read them every month.
Best self-care I’ve learned in the last decade: let myself feel joy and have fun whenever and wherever that happens. Seems so basic, yet it used to be so hard for me.
And take a real vacation every once in a while: just walk away from everything for a bit. Best thing I did this year.
bookmarked this one!