Today I’m writing about something that is near and dear to my heart: self care! In this article we will discuss why a great self care routine is essential and how to incorporate a routine into any lifestyle, no matter how busy. Whether you are seeking tips on holistic living or simply browsing for ways to improve your lifestyle, self care is always my first recommendation.
Although self-care might not seem very important, there is a popular saying that, “you can’t pour from an empty cup.” This rings true in so many ways. Maybe you’re a business owner working 100 hour weeks and you don’t have any down time so you start to get drained and can’t bring a focused mind to work. Or maybe you’re a parent who is always giving to your children and family. But when you are out of energy, you tend to get…what? Frustrated, upset, or just plain stressed.
It’s honestly hard to fit self care in sometimes, especially after those particularly long, exhausting days. We let other things take priority in our lives and end up neglecting ourselves. I totally get it! Adding another task into your already hectic daily routine is easier said than done but I promise you, it’s worth it.
Michelle and I have gone through the trials and tribulations of seeking the perfect harmony of daily life and self care and I have a secret to tell you; we still struggle to find balance! However, we make a choice everyday to do something for ourselves, no matter how small it may be, and that is the meaning of self care. It’s taking a moment (or a lot of moments!) for yourself and recharging your batteries. It’s giving yourself some time to breathe or meditate or do anything that brings you joy. It’s caring for yourself so that you can care for everyone else in your life. But really it’s much bigger than all of that; self care is reconnecting with yourself to discover the best version of you!
“Self care is simply doing something for yourself that makes you feel good, raises your vibration, and serves a purpose for your highest good!”
So let’s dive into the benefits of self care, some tips on how to incorporate it into your day, as well as some examples of self-care (especially since everything that feels good, might not be for your highest good!)
THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF CARE (AND HOW TO ADD IT INTO YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE)
When you’re running on empty you tend to lose patience and confidence or you could be tightly wound and get angry at the smallest things. Relationships may be strained and work suffers. Does any of this sound familiar to you? I know it does to me!
Participating in routine self care improves your self-esteem and it helps you maintain healthy relationships. When practiced regularly, it will boost your emotional and physical body which means you get better productivity! Don’t we all need that some days, HAHA.
When you have a clear mind, you can prioritize better and say no to the things that may not serve you right now. Pro tip: say no nicely, it will be okay even if it doesn’t seem like it at the moment. This will allow you to stay laser focused and get more accomplished than you thought possible!
There is also the lesser known benefit of improved resistance to what we like to refer to as “the crud.” Self-care exercises activate your PNS (insert geek moment) which is your “parasympathetic nervous system.” When your body goes into this peaceful state of rest, it helps it to naturally heal, boosting your immune system. So with better and regular self care, you are less likely to catch the seasonal “crud.” It also makes you inclined to give more to others! Although you might already be giving a lot, self care really allows you to enjoy giving to others and you’ll want to do more of it because it is rewarding now instead of feeling like a chore.
Now, you may be reading and thinking, “What in the world??” I am already so busy with my children, my job, my school work, planning a wedding, etc. but I promise you that when you make this a priority it will make a HUGE change in your lifestyle. Start off small, just like any new habit or task. Choose to do an extended self care once a month, do it weekly, or if you are ready for it, incorporate it daily! The daily doesn’t have to be some big task… daily tasks are small and make a big change! A tip to incorporating it monthly would be to schedule your self care time at the beginning of the month, or at full/new moons! Knowing when you are doing your self care will give you the freedom to say “no” when other opportunities arise, knowing you are taking care of yourself that day.
If you are doing a weekly or daily regimen of self-care, schedule a time that works for you once a week or everyday. My self care is at the very end of the night, right before bed, and it makes a big difference in my sleep patterns and how I wake up in the morning. I notice that when I don’t practice it, I wake up groggy the next day or I simply don’t sleep well that night. As silly as it sounds, schedule it and make yourself a priority!
Okay, now that we have beaten into your head how important self care is, we want to go over the five areas of self care and give you some examples. I mentioned earlier, not all things that feel good are considered self care such as drinking, over-eating, or even venting (I am definitely someone who likes to vent!).
1. The first form of self care is emotional! Attacking and dealing with your emotions when you have them is much better than bottling them up. Let’s be honest, how many of us bottle them up? *INSERT HAND RAISE*
We are all guilty of this at some point or another. Confronting your emotions and working through the will relieve your stress. Emotional self care can include:
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- Keeping a journal and writing your feelings and thoughts
- Letting yourself cry when you feel like it (women tend to have this more than men)
- Sing along to a song that matches your current feeling.
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Emotional self-care is more of a daily and in the moment way to help you.
2. Next is using a sensory based activity to quiet your mind. This includes:
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- Snuggling up under a warm blanket and meditating
- Taking a hot shower or bath with no interruptions
- Walking barefoot on the ground (which of course has SO many benefits).
- Having a massage with essential oils.
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Sensory self care can be done monthly, weekly, or daily, however or whenever you choose to incorporate it.
3. Physical self care would include:
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- Dancing to your favorite song
- Doing some yoga
- Going for a walk
- Anything that gets your body moving!
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Physical self care is also an activity that you can incorporate at any level.
4. Social self care is one that will look different for all of us based on our personalities. These activities can include:
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- Going on a lunch/coffee date
- Consider joining a group with like minded people
- Writing a letter/email/message to someone that you haven’t spoken to in a while!
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Social self-care is something that is also more momentary in my opinion, but can certainly be incorporated in different ways.
5. Lastly is spiritual self care! Now, when most people hear the word spiritual, they think religious but that is not necessarily the case. Spiritual self care is about finding yourself and placing value in YOUR morals! However if you choose to make your religion a form of self care that is absolutely fine too. The beauty of self care is that it is created for you, by you! Spiritual activities can include:
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- Daily meditation or self Reiki (if certified)
- Make a daily list of gratitude
- Saying daily affirmations – use those sticky notes everywhere!
- Take a walk through nature and connect with what is around you
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While these are all wonderful self-care regimens to add into your life, it’s the “small tasks” that make a huge difference. Self-care includes the daily things you do to take care of yourself and your family.
Recently I started meal planning for myself. Taking that time to create my plan for the week, grocery shop, and cooking everything is amazing!! It’s been a big commitment, but having everything cooked, measured out and packaged to go makes it easy for me in the mornings and busy evenings. That was something that I chose to do to better serve myself and put my family first.
Cleaning is also a form of self-care. Have you ever come home from work to a messy house because you have been so busy? I’m sure that 99% of you have! Which makes you feel better, a clean home or a dirty one? Probably the clean house, right? Other than the immediate benefits of living in a clean home, the time to de-clutter your life and care for your surroundings puts you in a better mood and raises those vibrations!!!
Self-care doesn’t have to be a difficult or lengthy process. It’s the daily tasks that make your life, mood, and energy better. Anne Lamott said, “almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes; including you.”
I want to share a quick story about a recent ”self-care” success story I’ve had. For a long time I had been running myself into the ground with too much on my plate and I had neglected my self care. I was working full time, going to school, nannying for multiple families throughout the week and trying to fit in time with my friends and family. Needless to say I was having a hard time fitting everything in plus taking care of my household and making time for myself so one night I decided to treat myself to a bath and relax with a guided meditation for 45 minutes. I felt so relaxed afterwards that I slept the best I had in weeks! The next day I felt so good that I went on a purging spree of my house. I cleaned my entire bedroom and ended up with 2 bags worth of trash and one bag of clothes to donate!
I followed the bedroom up with organizing my pantry and moved on to the linen closet. In total, I had 4 big bags of trash, a bag to donate, and a lot more organization in mine and my fiance’s lives which helped to create more ease on a daily basis for us. My productivity had kicked into high gear just from giving myself some self care in the form of a bath and meditation. That night I gave myself some reiki so that I could continue with the positive vibes and the day after that, I did all of my homework for the week and worked on some blog ideas for you all to enjoy!
My productivity and positivity took a huge turn from the slump I had been in for a few weeks. Since that night, I have continued my self care and I won’t fall off the wagon again, HAHA.
So now, I hope that you have an understanding of the importance of self care and how much of a difference it can make in your life! Please take these examples and do your own experimenting to see how well it will work for you!
Drop a comment with your thoughts, struggles, or successes!
Namaste,
Alexis
