In our line of work, we become very well acquainted with our clients over the weeks, months, and years that we work with them. We feel so privileged to be part of their lives. But, over the course of 2022, I could see the pain and stress this year brought to so many of our clients and the staff here at Dedham Acupuncture.
So many of us experienced stress from personal health challenges, the loss of a loved one, job changes, or complex medical needs with aging parents. Since 2020, everything was basically put on hold, and 2022 forced us to “catch up”. Most people I know had to sort through layers and layers of grief and anxiety, not just with ourselves but also with our loved ones and family members.
To cope with the stress of the year, a lot of us have started or increased our dose of anti-depressant medications. Many of us are also reaching out for help, but finding that therapists seem to be booked out for months or are not taking on new clients. While this can be discouraging, there are always avenues to improve our mental health.
As we look towards the New Year, which is only a few days away, most of our resolutions will include improving our health to some degree. I encourage you to get back to basics and set up your calendar for 2023 with a lens on your health. Start by making a list of essentials – annual physical, eye appointments, dentist appointments, and everything that you need to feel well (acupuncture, massage, chiro, PT) and plot it out in your calendar. Planning ahead will make sure you have your appointments set for the year, so you don’t have to deal with delays or scheduling problems. If there are appointments that you need but you don’t know who to see, reach out to us or to your friends and family for a referral.
My next recommendation is to become acquainted with your insurance policy deductibles and copays. Insurance details may not be the fun part of new years resolutions, but understanding them will make taking care of your mental health that much easier. If you don’t have an HSA or FSA, set one up. I personally set one up for myself through Bank of America online. Figure out what you can contribute and set that up automatically through your bank in weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly transfers.
At Dedham Acupuncture, we want taking care of yourself to be as easy and accessible as possible. We have included a worksheet with this newsletter to help you accomplish these goals and check off your self-care boxes. Please take time to do this. You can’t address high-level health goals without nailing down the basics.
We genuinely want to see you flourish in 2023, and help you put your best foot forward as you emerge from 2022.
We hope to see you soon!
Have You Been Told to “Put Your Oxygen Mask on First”? – Self-Care for 2023
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