The Benefit of Self-Care Fails
As we say goodbye to 2024, countless people worldwide jump into the cherished ritual of reflection and resolution-making. The New Year symbolizes a fresh start—a time to welcome new opportunities, aspire to lofty goals, and, for many, embark on a self-care journey. However, as we jump into this new year, we often find our well-meaning intentions met with a twist of mishaps. Let me share a silly self-care moment that may offer you the courage to go forward and accept the blunder that likely will come. We all have our mishaps with self-care, and being able to laugh about it makes the bumps on the journey a little less bumpy. It’s even better if you have a partner in crime to laugh with you.
Snores and Giggles
Imagine Katheryn and I settling onto our Sound Bath mats, taking deep breaths, quieting down, and giving in to the tranquil music of the singing bowls. Now imagine that while we are enjoying a sound bath, one of us starts snoring. Wanting to respect those around us, the non-snoring one tries so hard not to laugh! But to hear Katheryn make a tiny snore makes me smile and giggle. I get such older sister joy sharing with Katheryn and others about her little snores. I know she will do the same. I think my snores may be a bit louder ;) Oh, the giggles that these moments create. So Great!
Self-Care is Primed for Blunders
Self-care has transformed from a niche idea into a widespread cultural trend. It covers various activities to enhance personal well-being, including physical, emotional, and mental health practices. There will surely be a mishap with many activities, such as goat yoga, tap dancing, massages, stretching, sound bathing, journaling, and counseling. Self-care practices also fall into the trap of being done “perfectly,” yet they also cannot achieve perfection. The “fails” in self-care can create some of the best giggle fits.
Laughter is Great Medicine
Laughter stimulates organs: By taking in more oxygen as you laugh, you stimulate your heart, lungs, and muscles, releasing more endorphins in your brain. It does the body good!
Laughter can reduce pain: Laughing helps the body produce and release natural painkillers. That feels good!
Laughter improves mood: Laughing decreases stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms, as well as enhancing self-confidence. What a great mood booster!
Laughter increases satisfaction: Laughing at our flaws, mishaps, and blunders makes coping with these difficult moments easier. It also helps us to connect with others.
The Comedy of Resolutions
Yes, we have comedic moments during times of self-care, and let’s also look at the absurdity of trying to change all things by a quick resolution. Change is not an easy task! We cannot blink our eyes, wiggle our noses, or clap our hands; magically, these changes are made. We suddenly become marathon athletes, culinary geniuses, and the most mindful yogi. I don’t intend to poo poo resolutions and change, but can we please be realistic and kind about it. It’s essential to make room for vulnerability and humor in a world that often values perfectionism. Let’s share our self-care blunders; our resolution fails. Sharing these mishaps will cultivate vulnerability and authenticity, which is when real change will happen. Laughter is a powerful tool that connects our shared experiences, reminding us that we’re all in this silly life together. A reminder that we are goofy, flawed humans.
Add a little goofy in your life
Make silly faces in the mirror.
Take a picture of something humourous
Tell a bad joke
Embrace Failure
Entering a New Year, let’s embrace mishaps, failures, and blunders with a little bit of humor. In this worldwide ritual of self-improvement and change, applying self-acceptance through humor will soften the setbacks and help you continue on your journey of growth. Or perhaps these setbacks and the comedy that they create may have a side effect of accepting and loving yourself even more. Or, maybe you will give up on resolutions to create new and funny traditions that celebrate your next trip around the world.
All in all, if you choose to make resolutions or not, whatever self-care you get yourself into, be open to the bloopers of the situation. These bloopers will launch a snort, a giggle, and perhaps turn into a giggle fit. And what is one of the best medicines? Laughter!
Let’s Cheers to the New Year, to new laughs, to self-care misadventures, and a year filled with moments that encourage us to take life a little less seriously— and find humor in our quests.
