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As a teacher with school counsellor skills, you often feel emotionally and physically drained as it is a profession with high demands and entails an ongoing expectation to meet the needs of students and their families. Apart from your professional front, there’s family pressure, friends and daily schedule and it can be tough to balance everything all at once. Due to the multifaceted demands of school counselling and the possibly devastating consequences of a school counsellor’s impairment, it becomes imperative for the counsellor to take some time out and indulge in self-care. The American School Counsellor Association (ASCA) - Ethical Standards for School Counsellors, conveys self-care as an ethical mandate. It further stresses on the fact that self- responsibilities motivate professional teacher cum school counsellors to perform within the margins of competence and agree to take the responsibility for their doings. This professional directive also requires school counsellors to self-evaluate and keep an eye on their own physical or mental health issues and seek out necessary support to maintain professional effectiveness.

Educators often put their needs aside to take care of everyone else. It’s in their nature and becomes a habit over time. As students and teachers are heading back to school this year, counsellors need to try and put a focus on avoiding burnout, and emphasise more on thriving instead of merely surviving.

Following are 20 quotes about self-care to set the mind on track for personal wellness. Try sticking these in your office or at home as positive affirmations.

1. “When you recover or discover something that nourishes your soul and brings joy, care enough about yourself to make room for it in your life.” – Jean Shinoda Bolen
    
2. “When I loved myself enough, I began leaving whatever wasn’t healthy. This meant people, jobs, my own beliefs and habits – anything that kept me small. My judgement called it disloyal. Now I see it as self-loving.” – Kim McMilllen
    
3. “Of all the judgments we pass in life, none is more important than the judgment we pass on ourselves.” – Nathaniel Branden
    
4. “Self-compassion is simply giving the same kindness to ourselves that we would give to others.” – Christopher Germer
    
5. “We all have the tendency to believe self-doubt and self-criticism, but listening to this voice never gets us closer to our goals. Instead, try on the point of view of a mentor or good friend who believes in you, wants the best for you, and will encourage you when you feel discouraged.” – Kelly McGonigal
    
6. “People who love themselves come across as very loving, generous and kind; they express their self-confidence through humility, forgiveness and inclusiveness.” – Sanaya Roman
    
7. “The most powerful relationship you will ever have, is the relationship with yourself.” – Steve Maraboli
    
8. “Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart give yourself to it.” – Buddha
    
9. “The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself.” – Anna Quindlen
    
10. “Nourishing yourself in a way that helps you blossom in the direction you want to go is attainable, and you are worth the effort.” – Deborah Day
     
11. “Your breathing is your greatest friend. Return to it in all your troubles and you will find comfort and guidance.” – Unknown
     
12. “There are days I drop words of comfort on myself like falling leaves and remember that it is enough to be taken care of by myself.” – Brian Andreas
     
13. “Lighten up on yourself. No one is perfect. Gently accept your humanness.” – Deborah Day
     
14. “Nothing external to you has any power over you.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
     
15. “Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter, don’t mind.” – Dr. Seuss
     
16. “Give your stress wings, and let it fly away.” – Terri Guillemets
     
17. “Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths.” – Etty Hillesum
     
18. “The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.” – William James
     
19. “Love yourself first, and everything else falls in line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.” – Lucille Ball
     
20. “You must love yourself before you love another. By accepting yourself and fully being what you are, your simple presence can make others happy.” –Unknown

We hope that teachers cum school counsellors find several ways to put these self-care quotes to good use. When the feeling of stress elevates, try treating yourself to things that make you feel better, both mentally and physically. You can consider going to the salon or doing yoga, everyone has her own way of rejuvenating to feel special. What is your favourite way to take care of yourself for self -care? Leave a comment and let us know your idea/s.