Trending
I recently attended the Juniata River Valley Chamber of Commerce's annual Bloom Conference. This is an event featuring several motivational women speakers and activities. I had a grand time listening to these awe inspiring speakers and conversing with fellow female attendees. This event showed me the importance of self care.
Then I got to thinking, what exactly does self care mean to me? Fruity scents make me happy. So I buy scented lotions and cherish the aroma. I buy nail polish stickers and apply them to my nails. I see my fancy fingernails everyday and grin. I have several hobbies that help to keep me centered. I am an avid cardmaker and I like to think when people open the cards I give/send it puts a smile on their face which in turn makes me delighted. The Mifflin County Library recently had a crafterday event in which I learned to knit with yarn using a loom. This has led me to a newfound love of yarn. Oh and last but definitely not least, I 'heart' reading. Books are the light in my soul.
Now, you may be wondering what this all has to do with the library. I am getting to the heart of this article soon I promise. But, a thought just occurred to me! I realized many of my self-care habits can be expensive endeavors. With one exception. Did you guess which one? You got it, reading. I know an excellent place where you and I can get endless reading material for free (provided the book is returned on time). The Mifflin County Library has everything you need to make sure your brain doesn't turn to mush which in turn allows you to face the world with a brighter, smarter outlook.
Anyway, after that shameless plug for the greatest library on earth, I'll get back to the main feature of this article. Do you put pressure on yourself when you participate in self care rituals? For instance, I like making cards but currently, I don't have many in my stash despite having several birthdays coming up. When I sit down at my craft table I don't feel creative because I feel pushed to make several cards quickly. I put pressure on myself to make sure all my family and friends get a homemade card from me before their special day. In reality, if I am late getting the card in the mail, everyone will understand. They would rather get a homemade card late than a store bought card on time.
Do you have what I call "book anxiety"? Do you make lofty goals of reading 1,000 books in a year knowing that's impossible. Do you compare yourself to others feeling inferior if you aren't reading as much as your cohorts? Do you have a 10 mile long list of books you want to read that seems like an impossible task? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you have book anxiety. Boy, did I have a bad case. I currently have a new book checked out. New books have a two week due date. Whereas older books have a four week due date.
I knew the publication date of the book and waited anxiously for that day to arrive. I was fully aware, I didn't have a lot of time to read it with my busy schedule but just had to check it out because well, it's about Holly Gibney, a character developed by Stephen King that I absolutely adore. A week went by and I hadn't read even a fourth of the book. I started stressing, what am I going to do? I know, I'll start reading faster. Then the light bulb turned on. I realized I was being ridiculous. I didn't enjoy reading quickly. I had turned my beloved reading hobby into a stressful event. What is wrong with me? This is definitely not a good form of self care.
I told my brain to stop obsessing over when this book is due. If I don't get it finished, I will renew it. If someone else wants to read about beloved Holly, I won't be able to renew the book. But, the "new" me says who cares. Let someone else enjoy the wonders of Holly, I can wait. Thanks to generous contributions from our wonderful patrons, many other interesting books grace the Mifflin County Library shelves that I can read until Holly can be my friend again. Promise me, don't let book anxiety invade your life. Remind yourself that reading is a hobby that isn't meant to cause stress. Make the Mifflin County Library part of your delightful self care routine, your mind and soul will thank you.
•••
Shelly Sweigart is the Assistant Manager of the Mifflin County Library. She is currently reading Holly by Stephen King.