Self Soothe:

The ability to make yourself feel calm, happy, relaxed, regulated and at peace.

A side effect of self love, acceptance and awareness 💕

Self Soothing can be achieved in many ways... quiet moment with a book, bath, music or art. Connecting to nature, sunshine, exercise, singing, humming.... lighting sage, or using essential oil to calm your mind or energize your senses. Hugging yourself, a furry friend or a tree (this is scientifically proven to feel good because of the natural electricity a tree gives off!)

Yes. I am a tree hugger. Lol

In fact many times on a hike a tree will invite me over for a big old nature hug and I take it. Weird or not!

I learned to self soothe in childhood and have realized more and more as an adult when I feel anxious or afraid or stressed I cave up. I have an urge to be alone and will remove myself to lick my wounds like a wild amimal. I think this is because in childhood more often than not I sat alone with my fears or trauma and it became an accidental coping mechanism. Or maybe just all I knew.

Not healthy for a child and to be honest very lonely at times.

As an adult I am able to reflect on that, see my behavior and while I still need to be alone to process things, I now comfort myself in healthy safe nurturing ways and give myself a lot of self love and compassion and focus on breathing and the realization that nothing is absolute. Everything changes from one moment to the next and I am capable at any time of making changes that serve me.

I was thinking of these things while painting this piece, and processing some things. And I found such joy in my practice. I realized that art has played a large roll in my personal self soothing journey, as far back as childhood.

I've always found it to be calming, or actually that it encouraged self expression and healing.

Now I see it has also always been a creative way to soothe myself and yet another reason to love and appreciate this special gift.