VN June 2020

Vetnews | June 2020 23 I am so tempted to start this article with “Hi, herewith all you need to read today”, then leave the whole page blank and finish of with “well done!” I do not know about you, but this time of staying at home has completely cured me from my phone and Facebook addiction. I am tired of reading the news, tired of hearing another reporter changing her mind or opinion from what it was three weeks ago, tired of hearing how this is only the beginning. I am also tired of receiving message with activity upon activity that I need to fit in somewhere between work. Most of all I am tired of figuring out why I am so tired after weeks of “only being at home and having all things go slower.” Then a good friend mentioned that she believes this is a refreshing season, because it is an opportunity for radical changes and creativity. Wow, yes! This is your chance to try that crazy idea you had years ago that you thought might be too weird or people will judge it. This is our chance to experiment with and embrace technology we did not even know exists. Creativity is defined by the Oxford dictionary as the use of imagination or original ideas to create something . Let me be clear. Creativity is thus NOT doing everything everyone else is doing or telling you to do. It is not defined as being all sparkly, busy, DIY and productive. It is NOT a synonym for ‘work harder’ or ‘always be happy and positive’. By the way, I tried loads of ideas for food and activities from Pinterest, and mine does not look like their pictures anyway. I love what Maria Popova from Brainpickings have to say about creativity: “Creativity is a combinational force: it is our ability to tap into our inner pool of resources -knowledge, insight, information, inspiration and all the fragments populating our minds – that we have accumulated over the years just by being present and alive and awake to the world and to combine them in extraordinary new ways.” No, you cannot say you are not the creative kind. This means just by being alive you have gathered everything you need to be creative in this current time. So, you want a how-to-guide? Sure! How about you start by reflecting on your life, your culture, your experience, your personality and you start to connect some dots. Look for some themes, or similarities. Start asking yourself some challenging questions. Dream. Learn a new skill. Talk to people you know or met that are interesting. Do something different. Change your routine. Start a hobby. Take a break. Have fun. Nope, no excuses. We are living in a new time. Away is the old era of conventional ways and believing that the world will never change. The days when you thought you still have time before you need to make changes, is over. When you are creative, you cannot fail, because you are already out of the box. So the only thing left to do is to try. You have the license, the freedom, the opportunity, the resources, and the ability to do something innovative, fresh and new in any area of your life. Choose to do just do it. Carien (Carien Human is a psychologist in Johannesburg). v Vet's Health I Carien Carien Human Emotional self-care may include activities that help you acknowledge and express your feelings on a regular basis. Feelings are real for everyone and you should allow yourself to have them and express them. The same applies for your loved ones and other people around you. The same way you would want to be heard and understood should apply to all. Whether you talk to a partner or close friend about how you feel, or you set aside time for leisure activities that help you process your emotions, it is important to incorporate emotional self-care into your life. Individualise Your Self-Care Plan Self-care is not a one-size-fits-all strategy. Your self-care plan will need to be customised to your needs. A self-care plan for a university student who feels mentally stimulated all the time and has a bustling social life might need to emphasise physical self-care. On the other hand, my retired mom may need to incorporate more social self-care into her schedule to make sure that her social needs are being met. Assess which areas of your life need some more attention and self- care. And reassess your life often (every 2-4 weeks initially, then increase the interval as you start to define what works best for you). As your situation changes, your self-care needs are likely to shift too. When you discover that you’re neglecting a certain aspect of your life, create a plan for change. Do not tackle everything all at once. Identify one small step you can take to begin caring for yourself better. Then, schedule time to focus on your needs (exactly the same way you would schedule an appointment to see a client at work – no interruptions). Even when you feel like you do not have time to squeeze in one more thing, make self-care a priority. When you’re caring for all aspects of yourself, you will find that you are able to operate more effectively and efficiently. Next month, we will continue looking at positive ways to embrace the new world post COVID-19, hopefully on the other end of lockdown, healthy and safe. v Life Coaching <<< 22 Be Creative