Ways to Take Better Care of Yourself

Dear Friends:

Katherine Rettke has been a wonderful friend to the Magic & Mystery School for many years now. Just a few years ago, she was kind enough to accept our offer to become our Executive Assistant, handling many of the details of organizing and sending those “month out” and “week out” letters to students attending our classes. She handles at least a dozen “behind the scenes” jobs at the school, and I really don’t know what we would do without her! She takes such great care of all of us, I think her subject here, on ways you can all take care of yourselves, is most appropriate!

WAYS TO TAKE BETTER CARE OF YOURSELF – A LIST FOR MAGICIANS

Many of you know me as the Executive Assistant to the Magic & Mystery School, but when I am not supporting the school, I work as a psychiatric social worker in an emergency room.  As you might imagine, self-care is critical to social workers. When I am taking care of myself, I am less likely to become physically sick or emotionally burned out. My own personal list of what I do to take care of myself is in some ways unique to me.  Here is an example: I read uplifting books when I am reading for enjoyment, and I avoid sources of entertainment which depict graphic suffering. Other areas of self-care which I follow apply to anyone in my field. This list includes basics, such as frequent hand-washing, following safety procedures, and keeping up with ongoing professional training.

Experiencing how important self-care is in my own life has helped me to become more aware about the importance of self-care for everyone, regardless of profession. Consider thinking about your own list of ways to take care of yourself. In this Museletter, I want to share a few ideas for those working in the magic profession that I hope you will find helpful and “healthful!”

• Take steps to keep yourself healthy. This means getting rest, eating healthy foods, and protecting your emotional health. This also means keeping up with your own medical and dental care. Who knows how much longer Harry Houdini might have lived if he had gotten medical care early enough to treat his appendicitis. When it comes to your own health, please don’t be like Harry Houdini.

Want to learn more?  There is a wonderful blog written by Kerry Hishon with practical health tips especially written for stage performers: https://kerryhishon.com/2014/11/16/self-care-for-performers-5-useful-tips/

• Learn about ways to protect yourself from injury and accident. It is important to become vigilant about everything you are using in your shows and bringing into your home and performing venues. Are your props in sound and working condition? Are any dangerous items, like knives or flammables, secured so no one could be injured by them? Do you carefully review your backstage areas to make sure you won’t get hurt as you navigate them?

Want to learn more? There is an organization called Arts, Crafts and Theater Safety. This is a not-for-profit corporation that provides health, safety, industrial hygiene, technical services, and safety publications to the arts, crafts, museums, and theater communities. You can visit their website at: http://www.artscraftstheatersafety.org/

• Find opportunities to seek out magical experiences in your own life.  If you are providing magical experiences for others, but not for yourself, ask yourself why that might be. There are so many ways in life that it is possible to take care of others around you and yet neglect yourself. I believe that the experience of wonder is yet one more area where it is possible to be good to everyone but yourself. Look for magical experiences that allow you to reconnect to your own feeling of being enchanted. These magical experiences can include educational opportunities and magician conferences.

My own personal favorite magician conference is the Magic & Meaning conference put on every year by the McBride Magic & Mystery School. This year, the conference takes place from October 18 – 21, 2017, and will include events designed to create the experience of wonder and magic for the attendees.

Want to learn more?  You can find more information about this conference at the McBride Magic & Mystery School  by visiting this link:  http://www.magicalwisdom.com/events#521

Comments are closed.