Tips for self-care post earthquake

1. Be understanding of yourself when you are jumpy or irritable. Warn other people that you may not be as patient as you would like to be.
2. Accept support and assistance from others.
3. Eat at usual times, so your body settles. When not fee;ing humgry, eat lightly - perhaps some fruit.
4, Take comfort in a friends company - have a cuppa together.
5. Go somewhere to be with people for a while - cafe, shops. Talk to your neighbours.
6. Take a walk each day, for at least half an hour. As you walk, focus on each thing that you see before looking for the next thing. Look at the tree and its braches, look at the texture of the road or footpath, see the colour of the flowers and shape of the blades of grass.
7. Sit in the sun - feel the warmth, absorb energy and vitamin D.
8. Listen to the birds - really listen,
9. When your chest feels tight, breathe deeply and slowly. Focus on your breathing, especially the out breathe. If it continues to feel tight, go for a walk or dance round the lounge to music.
10. Be compassionate with yourself. Know that what you have experienced was terrifying and your body will remind you of this at times.
11. When you find you want to be busy, know this is a signal that you may be avoiding facing your feelings. This can be okay, so long as you realise that you need to take care of your inner self when you are ready.
12. Helping others can sometimes be a form of keeping busy. Do not neglect yourself.
13. When feelings bubble up, allow yourself to feel them and they will dissolve as you relax into them.
14. Face your fears. What is the worst that can happen and how does that make you feel. If you can face the worst and let this feeling go, then y ou will be able to look at the positive side.
15. Use this unexpected event to advantage. Time to have a clean out. What things do you really want or need? How important are they really?
16. Allow yourself to consider what is really important to you about life? What do you value in life?

Know that you are a special person with many great qualities. Look after yourself and use this opportunity to re-evaluate your life style and how you care for yourself.