July 24 is International Self-Care Day, a day dedicated to recognizing the importance of looking after ourselves and engaging in activities that support our overall well-being. Through self-care, we can live healthier, more balanced lives and show up fully for the people around us. Self-care looks different for everyone, and it is important to find practices that feel meaningful for you.
At Dzee Ba’yugh (Safe House), supporting the well-being of community members is a priority. Over the years, several workshops have been offered, including a holistic self-care kit-making workshop, where women explored self-reflection tools, challenged common myths about self-care, and learned practical ways to support their physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
“Many women share that before this group, self-care seemed unattainable due to time constraints, feelings of guilt, or simply not knowing where to start,” said Shannon Hand, CSFS Dzee Ba’yugh Counsellor.
Self-care is often misunderstood as being vain or selfish, but it is much more than that. There are many ways to practice self-care, and different activities support different aspects of our well-being. Shannon Hand shares a simple approach that helps her maintain balance in everyday life.
“A tool that I find very useful to practice self-care is the medicine wheel. I consider each aspect of my being; Physical, Mental, Emotional and Spiritual. I check in with myself in these areas to see where I may need some extra care. If, for example, I’m emotionally low or down, I could practice gratitude to lift my mood. If I am feeling physically down, I may choose to do some exercise or make sure I get a good night’s sleep. Self-care helps us maintain balance and wellness and helps us to avoid stress and burnout. When we feel good, we do good.”
Although the medicine wheel is not part of Carrier or Sekani culture, it has proven to be a great tool for holistic wellness checks. See the medicine wheel below:
Is your wheel out of balance? Where?
Rate yourself from 1-10 in each section by marking a dot or number along the line of 1-10
(0 being the lowest and 10 being the best)
Connect your dots to make your wheel
Is your wheel round? Would it roll and help you move through life in balance? Or would the ride be bumpy and rough?
What areas of yourself need care and attention to restore balance?