Self-care and a 28-Liter Backpack

This blog is the third in a series on self-care.

Tomorrow I leave for the Camino de Santiago. I have tons of stuff sitting next to my 28-liter backpack. I’ll be carrying everything with me for 10 days of walking. I’m at a standstill because normally for a weekend trip, I’d take five pairs of shoes! Who knows what will come up or what the weather will be like? Will an event pop up that will require a nice dress and jewelry?

Self-care felt like packing anything I might want so that I would “feel good.” As I look at that tiny backpack, I wonder, what does self-care look like now? What does self-care look like when you carry all your s**t for ten days while walking on a pilgrimage? 

This has really been a mind-bender for me. The stakes are different. The intent is different. Therefore, self-care will look a bit different. 

My intention: Slow down with a singular focus – connect to spirit.  

It’s hard to write that…because I know that means that clothes don’t matter, cool camping gadgets don’t matter, and making sure my two shirts are “cute” doesn’t really matter. What matters is that I take care of my body so I can walk. And walk with the intention of going inward (where I connect to spirit), not outward (where the clothes and expectations reside).

While I haven’t put anything in my pack yet, I will. And each time I put something in, I will think about caring for my body and connecting to spirit. The inward turning of a spiritual pilgrimage. Each time I think, “I wish I had my…,” I’ll remember that the opportunity to connect to spirit is present, no matter what’s in my pack. It’s a bit of a tricky self-care experiment for me, but I’m up for it. The self-care of simple and spiritual. 

This applies to any journey you are on also. What do you carry around with you? What’s in your backpack? What protections, thoughts, and beliefs do you carry around that may or may not be serving you any longer? What if you got clear on your intention and strategically lightened the load? Imagine walking freely with less weight in your metaphorical backpack. Ahhhhhh….

Where in your journey do you need to have a clearer intention? One that gives you the focus of lightening your load. Choose, and choose as a path of self-care. Lighten your load.

And for wherever you are on your journey, I wish you, “Buen Camino!”