I am very career focused, very analytical, very strategic and driven. These all tend to be very masculine traits. But since I had a mini-breakdown in October 2016, I have been focusing much more on self care. I suggest you do too, unless you want to have a breakdown like me.
Self care for me is more than just making sure I exercise, sleep, and eat well. I’ve always done these things. Self care for me has been learning about how to be nicer to myself, how to appreciate what I have done and what is around me, and finding some time to do things that I enjoy (not involving work …!).
I recently had a tarot reading, and the reader confirmed that I was very masculine, but had been learning to balance my feminine energy and qualities through nurturing myself. This is something that I have to continue, learn more, and make sure I balance these energies better.
My breakdown involved being very physically tired, and no doctor being able to find anything wrong with me. I have every test that could be done through a blood test, I had chest X-rays to see if I have a lung infection, and I had an ultrasound. Nothing physically wrong, apparently. A naturopath suggested it was adrenal fatigue, and gave me some supplements, and over time I did improve. I had to take it easy, but at the same time, I had to keep my business running without anyone knowing anything was wrong.
So, now I continue to take those supplements, but the biggest difference has come through coaching and some NLP training. The way I used to speak to myself was atrocious. I was also quite anxious, and this has almost completely gone.
I have learned to anchor, which is an mental energy technique to break you out of your negative thought patterns and become conscious in the present, so that you can change your self-talk. My anchors are native birds, particularly galahs and kookaburras, as well as lavender essential oil. I have also added an app to my phone that reminds me randomly four times during the day to breath.
There are many techniques around – do your research and find what works for you. But make sure you balance your drive and ambition with some self care, so that you don’t burnout or breakdown before your time.
