While self-care has become synonymous with spa days and bubble baths (and who doesn’t love one?!), there’s more to it than once-in-a-blue-moon treats for yourself.
Proper self-care and self-love aren’t just about pampering yourself occasionally but are about creating practices, routines, and a lifestyle that supports the happiest, healthiest version of you. I tell patients to create a life they want to explore, not escape from!
We’ve all heard the phrase, “You can’t pour from an empty cup”. Running a home and a business, caring for a family, or even being a great friend is nearly impossible if you run on empty. Taking care of yourself first is like putting on your oxygen mask before helping those around you. It gives you the energy, love, and light to best support your kids, partner, friends, or coworkers!
Many women will tell you if they could change some things about themselves, confidence, productivity, and happiness would top the list. Research shows that the benefits of regular self-care are increasing each of these.
Conversely, neglecting self-care can lead to feeling anxious and burned out. The illusion is that it has to be some great, expensive production. But it doesn’t. You can create consistent self-care routines that last just minutes a day. Consistency is far greater than expense.
Here are some ideas to integrate today to get you started with proper self-care:
1. Be your own best friend.
If you’ve ever found yourself saying or thinking things about yourself that you’d never dare say about another person, it’s time to practice some positive self-talk. That means acknowledging the negative thoughts about yourself just like you would handle a sweet three-year-old who just called herself ugly or stupid and replacing those statements with positive ones.
Easier said than done, right? To help you get started, write down a few things you love about yourself and read them every night before you get in bed, or use our morning mantras to create a positive affirmation for the day. I LOVE using Inner Child for this routine and leave it by my toothbrush! I put it on my heart, take a big huff of the oil, look myself in the eye in the morrow, and recite my new loving comment.
2. Get the nutrition you need.
Feeling good about yourself and caring for yourself starts from the inside out. Your daily eating habits have a long-term impact on everything from your immune system and gut health to the quality of your sleep.
Keep your nutrition simple by drinking plenty of water, eating the rainbow of vegetables, and getting healthy fats and organic protein no less than 100g daily. If you feel you’re still not getting all the necessary nutrients, reach out; we can help you fill in the gaps!
New food also means new enzymes. Grab some Digize to apply to your tummy or Essentialzyme-4 to help make this change! Your gut will love you more!
3. Give your brain a break.
With seemingly endless to-do lists, someone always calling your name, and a kids’ cartoon jingle constantly stuck in your head, it can feel like your head will explode. Take a few minutes or even a few seconds of control with meditation. Adding meditation to your day has multiple benefits, from boosting your mood to lowering stress. Even if you find it difficult to calm your racing thoughts at first, sitting and taking a few deep breaths will help you relax physically and mentally. Getting your kids to sit with you to learn this technique can be life-changing for future stressors. Here are two videos to help get you started. Make sure you plug in your diffuser with some Valor or Clarity to assist:
4. Make movement a priority.
Whether it’s a walk around the block, a dance party with the kids, or a powerlifting session at the gym, the health benefits of moving your body and the negatives of sitting all day are too great to ignore. If you’re out of practice with movement, start small with 10 or 15 minutes daily and pick something you love or something easy to work into your schedule. Walk the kids to school instead of driving, dance while you cook dinner, or do a 15-minute yoga video before sitting down to watch TV in the evening. Consistency over the amount of time spent will always win the race!
If you have done too much, grab some Cool Azul Pain Cream and go a bit easier on yourself next time.
5. Exercise your kindness muscles.
You know that warm, fuzzy feeling when you do something nice for a stranger? Make that feeling a part of every day by shifting from infrequent random acts of kindness to regular acts of kindness. You could volunteer at your local animal shelter or food bank once a month, leave a positive sticky note in the break room daily, or donate a dollar to charity with every online order you place. Or heck, start smiling at a stranger and say, “You look stunning in that color!!” and see what changes for you!! I love using Gratitude blend to remind me how much life is going my way.