Self-Care with a Chronic Illness: Playing Hooky with Lene

It's Arthritis Awareness Month! This month I am challenging you to take a little time each day and practice better self-care. Each day in May, I plan to share one simple way you can show yourself some love and appreciation.

On May 1st, I posted  Self-Care with a Chronic Illness: Holding Each Other Accountable. I asked how often you ask your friends and family, "What are you doing for self-care?" So, I had to ask those in my self-care community.

I have a very special self-care tip today shared by my good friend Lene of The Seated View. Because of our busy schedules, she and I schedule regular phone calls to catch-up. I always love when I suggest a day and she comes back with, "No, I am playing hooky that day." What a great thing to do for yourself.

Playing Hooky. Over the years, I’ve accumulated a nice pile of things to do when my body, mind, and soul need a bit of extra TLC. Heading out with my camera is the quickest de-stresser I know, sitting quietly with a purring Lucy on my lap is pretty blissful, and reading a good book is one of my favourite ways to spend time.

But my super-special way to take care of all of me is to play hooky. To take a day out of my work week and do something frivolous and fun. The grown-up way, of course, which means informing the people I work for that I won’t be in and making sure that everything I need to do is done (or can wait). But once that’s said and done, off I go on a long walk in nature, visiting a museum or the aquarium, or spending time with a friend.

This is not a vacation day, it’s not even the mental health day. Seeing it as playing hooky gives it an extra sense of delicious irresponsibility. And it turns out that that is incredibly healing.

*Be sure to also check out Lene at Health Central and watch her beautiful story in Live Bold Live Now.