Over the past year, I’ve have had the honor of meeting and teaching almost 300 incredible human services and healing arts professionals throughout California.  I’ve been awed by their dedication to helping children and families and making a difference in the world.  I’ve also had the pleasure of starting to work with my husband, Rocky, who is a talented artist and began assisting the Healing the Healer workshops in May.  Here are the top three things we’ve learned along the way and wanted to share with you to help support your ongoing self-care!

1.  Self-care love and humor!– go a long way when working with your husband (or anyone, for that matter).  We are together a lot now and as fabulous as that is, sometimes I get grouchy and need to draw some whimsical owls and laugh about goofy things, like the “disagreements” we have about fonts. Taking a walk on the beach and watching funny shows like 30 Rock and Parks & Rec also helps soothe the inner gremlins.  And starting the day with Seven Second Hug, the song we created for our holiday card, helps us to connect in the morning.

Creating goofy, funny holiday cards to spread peace and love to our friends and family (and you!) also helps soothe the soul.

2. Watercolor sets for kids.  They are inexpensive, non-toxic, and easy to carry when traveling and can be used to create cards and notes.  We use Prang Washable Watercolors, which we found on Dick Blick. They even have metallic and glitter sets! 🙂  You can turn 8 colors into 64 by mixing them.  Here is a sample palette I made. 

You can also create one yourself by following this Water Mixing Chart tutorial.

Indeed, we have started to incorporate the creation of cards for self-care for the mind, body, spirit and heart into some classes. If you’d like to try it:  Use water color paper (–i.e. 140 lb. individual sheets that you cut up/tear into smaller cards or travel books).  On one side, write the realm you are working with  (i.e. HEART), along with a symbol and the way you’d like to feel.  On the other side of the card, you can write the things you can do to support your mind and the way you’d like to feel. Like this:

3. WOOP.  At the West Coast Child Welfare Trainer’s Conference this year, we discovered a new process for goal setting & follow through that we have started to incorporate into the workshops.  This process was created after 20 + years of research by Gabriele Oettingen who wrote the book Rethinking Positive Thinking.  You can find access to the free app that takes you through the process here:  http://woopmylife.org.

Basically, you set a Wish and the Outcome you’d like if that Wish comes true.  You then figure out what Obstacle could keep you from completing that Wish and then a Plan if the Obstacle happens.  For example, my Wish was to start meditating daily; my Outcome was to be more relaxed & connected to myself; my Obstacle was not wanting to get out of bed in the morning (too cozy); and my Plan -if the Obstacle occurred- was to sit up and meditate in bed for at least 10-15 minutes.  WOOP has helped me to meditate more. And I love to say WOOP!  So there’s that, too.  It makes me smile.

What also helps me to meditate is the free Insight Timer app, which has guided meditations and music to provide me the diversity and structure I need!  I’ve sent this link to some of you, but for those of you who haven’t seen it, you can find that here:  https://insighttimer.com.

Let us know if you try any of these things out and share in the comments below or on the Facebook page here: Healing The Healer – Rachel Bavis page. 

We hope you have a magical 2017!

Rachel (and Rocky)