Okay, friends and neighbors, it’s that time again!

What time, Gina??

It’s time for Self Care Day!!

<insert applause>

What’s Self Care Day?

I’m glad you asked… it’s an officially official day each month when we’ll remind one another to take good care of ourselves. You know, perform your self-check (skin & moles, breasts, etc), make your dentist appointment you’ve been putting off, get a massage, take a nap, start a class, clean the slate, laugh, polish your nails, or whatever it is you do that nurtures you.

As a coach and friend, I’m often “giving permission” to people to take care of themselves. And yes, there is a roving band of narcissists out there who are all about taking care of themselves, but most folks are pretty giving.

Quite frankly, many folks are way over-giving.

(You know who you are. Stop apologizing for going to the bathroom, and keep reading.)

This super-giving segment of folks were taught that anything they do for themselves is immoral and selfish. They’ll drop everything to race across town at the slightest indication that someone neeeeeeds them, but they won’t walk across the room to meet their own needs.

(It’s okay… go to the bathroom. I’ll wait.)

<insert hold music>

(You’re back? Excellent… Did you grab yourself a cup of coffee/glass of milk/carafe of wine/jug of water on your way back? No? Well, I’ll hold your place.)

Well enough of that! Seriously, you aren’t helping anyone if you aren’t taking care of yourself. Who is going to save the world if you land yourself in the hospital from a nasty case of dehydration exacerbated by a bladder explosion?

(Okay, she will, but you’ll feel guilty you left it all on her. Will you poke her and give her “the look”. I don’t think she’s stopped helping in a week. Does she even sleep?)

As Joyce Rupp would say, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” So, it’s high time you started refilling yours. And now there’s an official day to do it — the 6th of each month. Why the 6th? Because the idea came to be when we were talking about the facebook games about breast cancer, and I do my monthly self exams on the 6th (it’s Berns’ birthdate).

Last month — September for those of you who can’t pause to look up and see what day it is — when we officially launched the officially official Self Care Day on the 6th campaign, folks started sharing how they intended to use this day. One of the chicas who goaded me into this whole idea even took the whole day off. I know! Amazing.

(Will someone check on her? I think she’s fainted.)

So, what are you doing to take care of yourself today?

Me? I’m going to start dreaming about November 6 and mark it in my calendar as a Day Off, do my self exam, take a long bath with a magazine, and ask around for recommendations for healthcare providers. I’ve lived in Nashville for 4 years and still haven’t hired a local dentist, gynecologist, or rheumatologist. I know! There’s no excuse for it.

Pretty please take really good care of yourself. It is not selfish to keep yourself alive, healthy, and happy.

It’s your job.

(Yes… yours!)