The Many Faces of Self-Care
A Guide for Sensitive Souls
As we settle into June and the vibrant pace of summer begins to unfold, I find myself reflecting deeply on what self-care really means—especially for those of us who feel things a little more deeply than most.
For years, I used to think self-care was just about checking boxes: taking a bath, lighting a candle, going for a walk. And before I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, I often pushed through exhaustion, assuming rest was something I had to “earn.” But that mindset wasn’t sustainable—and it certainly wasn’t healing.
It took chronic pain and fatigue to teach me that true self-care is far more personal. It’s not a checklist—it’s a conversation. A relationship with your inner being. A remembering of what it feels like to come home to yourself.
These days, I’ve been leaning into self-care in ways that feel more sacred than structured. I start and end each day by meditating and chanting the Medicine Buddha and Green Tara mantras—inviting in healing, compassion, and protection. I pause more. I rest when I need to. I let stillness do the work that words can’t.
And here’s what I’ve discovered:
Self-care doesn’t always look like action.
Sometimes, it's simply being with yourself. Gently. Quietly. Lovingly.
Self-care can look like:
Saying no without guilt, even when you don’t have a “good reason”
Letting yourself cry and not rushing to fix it
Turning off your phone and reconnecting with the rhythms of your body
Chanting a mantra that reminds you of your strength
Watching the clouds drift across the sky and letting that be enough
Giving yourself full permission to do absolutely nothing
If you're a sensitive soul, an empath, or someone walking a spiritual path, your self-care won’t—and shouldn’t—look like everyone else’s. Your nervous system might need more space. Your heart might need more silence. And that’s not only okay, it’s wise.
This summer, I’m inviting simplicity—not just in what I offer, but in how I live.
That’s why I’ve gently shifted into a softer seasonal rhythm. Fewer live online classes. More intention. A weekly rhythm that honors real life, real energy, and real healing. Through my Summer Meditation Practice Path, you’ll find weekly guidance that includes live class recordings and bonus practices like sound healing, Yoga Nidra meditation (this Thursday evening at 6:30 pm CT), and compassion meditations. It’s all meant to support you, not overwhelm you.
But even if you don’t take a single class or listen to a single meditation, I want you to know this:
You are allowed to choose yourself.
You are allowed to rest.
You are allowed to soften.
So as the sun shines a little brighter and the days stretch a little longer, I invite you to check in with yourself:
What does real self-care look like for me right now?
What would it feel like to treat myself with tenderness?
Where can I begin again—with compassion, not criticism?
You don’t have to do it all. You don’t have to do it perfectly.
Just begin with one breath. One pause. One whisper of kindness.
That’s more than enough.
With love and gentleness,
Deb 💛