My self care story.

Self care, as the founder of an NGO and a mother to 9 children I am usually always on the go and things get really hectic especially as I work with children living with disabilities. As a mother along with going to work, I have to cook, clean, take the kids to and from school, get the groceries etc. At work I have to be the rock for both the children that I work with, our volunteers and even some parents. Most days I have to deal with disappointments that stem from being an unregistered NGO, lack of funding, government red tape, lack of funds to run necessary programs, depression from turning children in need away.

Sometimes all this just piles up and I can no longer cope, i burn out and I break down. Either I fall sick or I fall into depression that takes me a lot of time and effort to come out of. With time I have come to recognize the signs of a burnout. Once I experience these signs I know that its time for some self care and self love. My self care routine involves switching off all y phone lines except one for emergencies, taking a day or two in a hotel, catching up on books from my favourite authors, sleeping and eating. I eat new foods read and rest. After a day or two or even three, I feel rejuvenated and lighter. In the event that I don't have funds to lodge in a hotel, I go to a friend's home in a rural area where I can also enjoy nature, go hiking and eat a lot of fresh farm produce.