5 Quick Tips for Reputational Self-Care

reputational self-care self-care tips

A woman standing in front of the team she leads.

No matter what differences might exist in our personal circumstances, it is likely that you and I share a common concern for the future of our country, and our community. As parent caregivers, we want to do our part to make sure this world is a better place for our children to inherit. Maybe, like me, you struggle with how best to do that sometimes.

In situations such as these, how do we react? How do we lead? What role do we play in our families and communities?

It is our values, the ones we live by every day, that establish our reputation and our character. It is our actions, the ones we take even when it is hard and goes unacknowledged, that make lasting impact on our world.

As with so many things, it is not the size of the action you take, or how publicly visible it is, that determines whether or not you are making a difference. It is that you take action in the first place and do so consistently and with purpose.

READ MORE: The 10 Paracords of Self-Care

Under The Parachute Project™ there are five strands in the Reputational Paracord, they are:

PERSONAL RESPONSIBILTY ~ CHARACTER ~ PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT ~

LEADERSHIP ~ ADVOCACY

Our ability to act in a positive and proactive way, depends on the current weight of our circumstance and whether we are able to expend limited resources on issues outside of our child’s care and the needs of our family. I want you to know that it is OK if you do not have resources to spare right now.

Before I go into examples of reputational self-care, I want to clarify a few things that are important to keep in mind for this particular paracord.

You cannot serve your family, or your community, well if you have not first taken steps to consistently care for yourself and to safeguard your own well-being.
It is ok to save certain aspects of reputational self-care until after you have addressed more pressing areas of self-care. Put your personal fires out first, so that you are better able to help someone else fight theirs.
It is ok to choose just one cause to advocate for and let the others go. It is not up to you to fix every problem. Lean into those you are in the best position to serve.
Do not underestimate the power of example. Working on the personal aspects of reputational self-care still serves to lead others indirectly.

Below, are 5 quick tips for REPUTATIONAL self-care that will nurture your personal development and well-being:

Quick Reputational Self-Care Tip #1 – Lean into those you are in the best position to serve:

When there is so much turmoil in the world, or in your community, it is easy to get caught up in all of the voices telling you what you should think, what you should say and setting expectations for what you must do to be a “good person”. It is easy to feel like it is up to you to take on every problem and save the world.

However, keep in mind that no matter what you do, you will not make everyone happy, and you will never meet everyone’s expectations all of the time. Also, not every crisis is your problem to solve, nor are you qualified to take on every issue. It is ok to leave those to someone who has the talents and resources to serve that need well.

Instead, lean into the people and circumstances you know best. If that is your child’s care needs, the raising of your family or specific needs you feel drawn to within your community, those are the people you are in the best position to serve and the places you will have the biggest impact.

Quick Reputational Self-Care Tip #2 – Teach your children:

You can spend all day trying to change minds on social media but how much influence do you really have there? The answer is... Not a whole lot. Most adults have their mind made up and they're not about to change it. If you want to make a difference for the next generation, focus your attention on the members of your own family.

Whether they want to admit it or not, your opinion carries a lot of weight with your kids. You have unlimited opportunity to share your values, beliefs and faith with your children. Reinforce for them the information and life skills they need to formulate opinions and to come to responsible and compassionate decisions on their own.

Your kids are also watching how you handle certain situations and challenges as they arise. By practicing personal responsibility and accountability, you model for them what it means to be a responsible and contributing member of your family and community.

Quick Reputational Self-Care Tip #3 – Align yourself with an organization:

Real change happens when people stop talking and start getting their hands dirty, so to speak. The great thing is there are already thousands of amazing organizations battling systemic issues of poverty, homelessness, hunger etc. within our communities. You don’t have to figure out what you can do to make a difference all by yourself. Look for an organization that addresses an issue you are passionate about. Offer your time, talents and resources and make a difference where it counts.

Don’t assume that there isn’t any way you can help under your current circumstances. Offer what time you have available to give, every little bit helps, and ask them what they need done. Be creative about skills and talents you might have that they could use such as, web design, graphic design, social media marketing, writing, making phone calls, networking, fundraising etc.

Quick Reputational Self-Care Tip # 4 – Learn more:

A wonderful thing about life is that it's never too late to have new experiences, explore new perspectives and learn more about anything under the sun. It's never too late to foster personal growth.

Opportunities for personal growth can be as simple as reading a new book or as involved as taking a class. Think about a topic you would like to know more about, a skill you would like to learn, an experience you would like to have or a goal you would like to accomplish.

Depending on your circumstances and your goals, consider trying one of these options to encourage personal growth: Subscribe to a new podcast, follow a new blog, watch a documentary, visit a new place in person or virtually, take up a new hobby, read a new book, sign up for a class in person or virtually, develop a new habit. Make a step by step plan to accomplish a goal and get started.

Quick Reputational Self-Care Tip #5 – Outline your core values:

Have you ever thought about writing down your core values? Have you ever thought about what your core values are?

Sometimes, it is easy to just feel, in your gut, what is right. Other times, not so much. It can be helpful, in circumstances like this, to have a clear outline of your core values to guide you through uncertain circumstances and to help direct difficult decisions.

Think about the things that are most important to you. Which values and guidelines do you live by? What do you want people to know about you just by observing your actions and words? Consider bible verses, the golden rule, and mistakes you have made in your past, or a little bit of all three, etc. to outline the values you intend to live by and to mold your character.

For more resources to support you in your parenting role, follow my “Reputational Self-Care” board on Pinterest!

As always, do not try to apply all of these quick tips for reputational self-care at one time. It is always better to focus your attention on just one action until it becomes a natural part of your self-care practice before adding another. Approaching self-care this way, increases the likelihood that you will stay consistent, be successful and enjoy the benefits of your efforts long-term.

Self-Care Action Discussed in this Post:

Choose just one of the 5 quick tips for reputational self-care discussed above, or another action of your choice, to begin nurturing the role you play as a respected leader and role model for your family and your community.

100 Self-Care Activities for Caregivers

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