In this week’s episode, I talk to Suzy Reading about self-care in tough times. Suzy is a mother of two, an author, Chartered Psychologist and Coach. She specialises in self-care, helping people manage their stress, emotions, and energetic bank balance. It was her life experience of motherhood colliding with the terminal illness of her father that sparked her passion for self-care which she now teaches to her clients, young and old, to cope during periods of stress, loss and change and to boost their resilience in the face of future challenges.
Suzy’s first book ‘The Self-Care Revolution’ published by Aster came out in 2017, ‘Stand Tall Like a Mountain: Mindfulness & Self-Care for Children and Parents’ and ‘The Little Book of Self-Care’ came out in 2019 and her new book ‘Self-Care for Tough Times’ came out in 2020, during the COVID-19 lockdown.
03:55 Suzy busts the myth that being tough on yourself gets you through tough times
05:44 Overcoming harsh self-criticism with self-forgiveness
08:23 Making healthier choices when talking to ourselves kindly
10:14 Self-compassion and the nourishing action of self-care
13:54 How ‘compassion’ supports us in a way that ‘resilience’ doesn’t
16:30 Not letting maternal guilt stopping us from nourishing ourselves
19:42 Pressure and success in motherhood – the Nourish app
23:28 The toxicity of the compensatory crutches we use to cope
26:50 What to do when you realise your current habits are unsustainable
31:11 Suzy’s micro movements approach to change
31:58 Making daily habits more nourishing
33:02 Suzy shares a physical exercise to help with posture
43:16 We talk about the power of visualisation if you are not able to physically play during hard times
44:26 Suzy’s takeaway for you – to let guilt slide from your shoulders
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This episode was edited by Emily Crosby Media
