Self-Care in the Storms of Life

We all go through storms of various kinds and of various degrees.

If hard times like a sick child, natural disaster or losing a job are the types of storms we face, it may help to understand the value of self-care before the storm hits, during the storm and after it passes.

When my daughter was two she came down with a stomach bug.  In light of that, I had to cancel all my plans for the day to focus on her quality of comfort care until she got better.  She needed two full days to recover and get back to her happy, sassy self.  During that moment, I did not have much time to take care of my own needs like go for a run, unstack the dishwasher, put the dirty dishes sitting in the sink in the dishwasher, and get some coaching tasks done.  After about two days of overcoming the stomach bug, I found myself feeling a bit restless and in need to get caught up.  Luckily the weekend was around the corner, so my husband could take care of our child while I get caught up on housework, and with the Fourth of July holiday, I had time on Monday to get caught up on some work business.

Then, my husband and I were looking forward to getting back to the norm.  All of a sudden, the Tampa area is under a Tropical Storm warning, which was also going to put some things on hold like going for a run, getting to the grocery store (if needed), among a few examples.  Granted we were grateful for being home and having a place to stay dry and stay safe until Tropical Storm Elsa passes.

While these are fairly simple examples of storms, both of these moments reminded me of the story in Mark 4:35-41 and how Jesus is not only bigger than any of our storms, but He is interested in helping us through those storms— big and small.

In Mark’s Gospel 4:35-41 we read that Jesus has been teaching and performing miracles, and the disciples had witnessed all of them.  Although they had witnessed Jesus’ great words and deeds, they still don’t get it… sounds familiar.

They believed, but their “what” is unclear.  In reading this passage it is obvious that Jesus and His disciples have been busy all day.  When they hop in the boat, Jesus is tired from all His teaching and falls asleep.  Storms on the Sea of Galilee were nothing new to Jesus’ disciples.  After all, they were fishermen accustomed to the wind and the waves.  This night, however, was different.  It was a very fierce storm (probably not too far off from Tropical Storm Elsa).  As the height of the waves increased, so did the disciples’ fear.

The disciples learned a very valuable lesson that night, trust Jesus.  I find this lesson somewhat ironic considering Jesus is literally in the boat with them.  Nonetheless, even with Jesus among them their faith struggled.  I can admit to times of encountering a similar struggle.  I know in my heart that Jesus has never left my side in good times and bad.  Although the waves can be distracting sometimes and fear creeps in.  However, because Jesus is there I am reminded that there is nothing to be afraid of in the midst of the storm. I think that is what it is like when we live our lives with Jesus in our boat. As a Christian, I know I’m not immune to the storms, but allowing Jesus to take over will help me get through it every time.  He is the peace in my life who makes the storms settle down. He is the protection I need to make it through them.

As I contemplated on the storm in the Bible, the storm in the form of a sick child, and the Tropical Storm heading to Florida, allowing Jesus to be the Lord of the situation is of the utmost importance.  What are some ways we can increase our faith in Him?  As the Catholic Fitness Coach I emphasize the value of self-care.  In the midst of my own storms throughout the years, I have better understood how self-care helps when it comes to storms we face, or may face.

First, holistic healthy self-care can enable us to avoid and prevent some of the storms coming our way.  For example, I am well aware of chronic diseases like heart attacks and diabetes run in my family.  By focusing on God-made whole foods in my eating habits over man-made processed foods; getting some exercise; and quality sleep, I might be able to prevent those types of storms from hitting.

At the same time, I know some storms are inevitable.  Even some of the healthiest people I know still have developed chronic diseases like coronary heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.  For some this was the unfortunate reality of genetics and for others the why remains unclear.  Nonetheless, implementing healthy habits like prayer, eating balanced, getting a shower, and sleep are beneficial for enduring such storms.  For example, when my daughter came home with the stomach bug, I found the strength, endurance, and compassion to provide the quality comfort care she needed until she felt better.  After a few days of enduring this, I did recognize my ability to show up for her starting to dwindle.  At which point, I sought out my husband for help, so I could refill my energy to enable myself to continue beingpresent to her as she continued to recover.  The other blessing in this experience, came in the form of me being successful in not catching the stomach bug myself.

In either case, self-care rooted in Christ enables us to endure storms as simple as a stomach bug to something or something more complicated like losing a job.  While the pain and struggle is real, self-care in the forms of prayer, eating, exercise, sleeping, and even our hobbies have a way of training us for these moments in which we have to dig down to find our inner strength, resiliency, and peace.