I had a rather rude awakening at 2:05 am last night. (This morning?)

I was sleeping peacefully, all was well.

And then I heard this weird horking noise.

Any of you who happen to own cats know what I’m talking about.

That noise.

The noise that heralds the swift arrival of a hairball.

My sleep-fogged brain rallied as best it could, and I did my best to (gently) jettison the cat off the bed… but it was too late.

Hairball.

Big ol’ hairball in the middle of the bed.

What do hairballs have to do with personal wellness, self-care and people pleasing?

I’ll tell you. (It’s not as big a stretch as you might think.)

Hairballs and wellness

Looks like someone’s stuck wearing a sweater in summer…

Many times, when people talk about self-care and wellness, they think of spa days and chocolate.

But self-care isn’t always glamorous, or expensive.

I’ve written before about work & discipline involved with practicing self-care, that ongoing, moment by moment tuning-in-thing we are always trying to cultivate, as we move through our lives.

My cats are smart about their self-care.

And they aren’t particularly concerned about pleasing others, either.

They don’t want to be stuck wearing a sweater in the middle of summer. Hence the hairballs.

It may not always be elegant or pretty or graceful, this method of they have of culling and shedding and renewing.

But it works!

The cats have no problem shedding their winter coats come summertime.

But what about us? But if we’re not careful, we can find ourselves wearing a sweater in summer.

Don’t wear a sweater in summer

So, what do I mean, a sweater in summer?

What does that look like, when we pick apart the metaphor?

It means: are you investing time, money, and energy into…

+ relationships

+ patterns of thought

+ practices and habits

….that are worthwhile and helpful?  Or draining and depleting?

Are you being flexible and thoughtful, a gentle curator of the things & people you want in your world?

Or, are you putting energy into things because…

–you feel guilty saying no

–you don’t want to hurt other people’s feelings

–you’re so busy you only have time to react, not respond

–you’ve always done things this way

One of the biggest pieces of self-care, for me, is living deliberately and consciously.

What does that mean, anyway?

It means slowing down.  Keeping myself company.

Looking choices and habits and relationships in the face.

Choosing what stays and what goes, based on what I see, think and feel.

Moving forward

Don’t do it to yourself.

So, I invite you today to take a single sheet of paper and five minutes of your time.

Just reflect for a moment.

Which things in my life are sustaining and supporting me right now?

Which things are draining my resources?

Where can I get help with these?

If you need more ideas, I’ve written extensively about the importance and the practice of picking and choosing what stays and goes in your life in these posts:

Does your life need a trim?

Are you watering your weeds?

What to do with the stuff you’ve outgrown.

Pick your metaphor.

Hairballs.

Plants & weeds.

Shoes that pinch your toes.

The message is the same.

A sweater in winter is a wonderful comfort. A sweater in summer is a major hindrance.

Everything has a season. Are you dressing right for yours?

Be the architect of your own world.

Pick and choose what goes where.

Ask for help and support with the things you can’t change.

If you need help with this and you’re looking for a counselor in Austin, give me a call. I’d be glad to set up a free consultation for you, so we can discuss what you’re wanting to work on.

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Two years ago:  10 signs you might be an overachiever

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