I have been here for about 30 minutes trying to figure out what this week’s article is about. Usually I have no problems coming up with something. I mean when you have 18 cats, there is ALWAYS something to write about. However, this week nothing was popping up as a must write about topic. I was starting to get stressed. So, I did what most people do, I went to social media as a distraction from my problems, lol. And in typical fashion as to how the Universe works in my life, the perfect topic came to me within a few seconds of scrolling. It’s OK…
Release the Pressure
Julie-Anne Thorne from Naturally Cats has been doing a series of social media posts titled, It’s OK… Each one has resonated with me on different levels. Today’s post was It’s OK…to not have the answers. Seriously?? I was struggling to figure out what to write about this week. Putting unnecessary pressure on myself to come up with some life altering topic that will change the lives of cats and their guardians. And the answer came in a simple post. It’s OK…to not have the answers.
Not only did this resonate with me about what to write about this week, but it spoke to me on a deeper level. I tend to take on a “Super Woman” approach to life. It is my nature to be all things to everyone in my life. Especially my cats. I work tirelessly to ensure that they are happy and healthy, most times foregoing my own self-care. The past couple of weeks have been particularly stressful with dealing with Pyewacket and his urinary issues. With this being the first time dealing with a cat and urinary issues, I was at a loss as to how to help him. This lack of knowing what to do increased my stress levels, which then showed up in physical symptoms. Because that is what stress does.
Stress Forced Self-Care
I knew that I was starting to spread myself thin over the past couple of weeks. It is the end of the school year, and it is crazy and chaotic. Pyewacket has been segregated to my husband’s office while he recovers. I don’t want him to feel lonely, scared, or stressed, so I have been going down each evening and spending time with him. Squeezing out this extra time in an already tightly packed schedule has been difficult. Other things were being put on the back burner. Daily tidying up. Daily playtime with the cats. And, especially, my own self-care. I mean, there are only so many hours in a day.
And it finally hit me Friday night. All the stress. All the spreading myself too thin. It all came to a head and forced me to provide myself with some self-care. I carry my stress in two places, my shoulders and stomach. I have learned to notice when I am tightening and raising my shoulders. I relax and breathe. However, my stomach is a different matter. I will notice the warning signs, but true to my nature, I will plow through and ignore them. Until I can’t anymore. Friday night, my stomach revolted on me. Forcing me to slow down and take it easy. And that is exactly what I did on Saturday. I only did exactly what needed to be done. The rest of the day was spent sitting on the couch watching the final season of Suits. Today, I am not 100%, but I am definitely better than I was yesterday.
It’s OK…
So, in final thoughts. It’s OK! To not have all the answers. To not be the “Super Woman” that you think you are. To not get that last load of laundry folded. To take time for yourself. To binge watch your favorite show. To say no to the demands of everyone else and to say yes to your own demands. Not only is it OK, but it is necessary. You cannot be there for others, if you are not there for yourself first. Providing yourself with the needed self-care is essential to being able to provide the care for your cats. That is why they tell you to put on your own oxygen mask FIRST before trying to help others with theirs. You cannot help others breathe if you can’t breathe yourself. So, take the time to do something for yourself today. You not only deserve it, you NEED it!
“Animals don’t lie. Animals don’t criticize. If animals have moody days, they handle them better than humans do.” — Betty White
Lora Lee 
