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Self-Care is Not Selfish
Why Self-Care is Fundamental
Without self-care as a foundation, we have nothing to build on. If we don't take care of our bodies, minds, and lives, then who will? And how can we show up for our loved ones if we become sick, burnt out, or overwhelmed?
The solution to all of the above is to develop a firm practice of daily self-care. And yes, I said daily. Not weekly, or monthly....daily. It does not have to be a huge chunk of time either. Even 5 minutes a day is a great start!
Imagine how much better you will feel taking a time out for you. How would it feel to go on a short walk, make a phone call to your bestie, have a quick coffee break with a friend, or read a few pages of your favorite latest romantic thriller? Probably better than you feel right now!
In fact, if any of the above have you excited, then now is the time to make this happen. So let's commit to making self-care part of your daily routine this month. Let's do this together!
What is Self-Care?
- Making sure you get enough sleep, exercise, and food that boosts your energy
- Keeping your health solid by keeping annual check ups, dental cleanings, etc.
- Cutting negative/draining people from your life
- Jumping off the treadmill of negative thoughts
- Taking time out for fun--watch a movie, go on a hike, spend time with friends, etc.
- Expanding your mind--go on a weekend getaway, travel, or find a new experience
- Spending quality time with loved ones
- Releasing the "superwoman" complex of perfectionism and self-criticism
- Organizing and decluttering your house and office
- Expressing yourself--sharing your thoughts, feelings, and ideas
- Reserving time for simple pleasures--watching the sunset, smelling the flowers, or having a good cry or laugh
Self-care is also defined as the practice of taking an active role in protecting one's own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress. Interesting....I wonder how many of us consciously take an active role in our own personal well-being and happiness?
For parents, it is especially important so you can model these behaviors to your kids so they have a strong toolkit for weathering the stresses and challenges of life.
How to Design a Consistent Foundation of Self-Care
If you are now convinced to give this a go, then here is a fail-safe recipe for success!
Step One
Release this old belief that self-care is "selfish" and adopt a new one that self-care is necessary and helps others
If this shift is difficult for you to make, simply affirm (state this out loud to yourself) this to yourself daily each morning until you begin to believe it and eventually it becomes true.
Step Two
Commit to self-care as a daily practice
Set aside at least 5-15 minutes a day for self-care. Be sure to communicate with loved ones that your self-care schedule is sacred.
Pro Tip: Schedule these times in your calendar and set alerts so you keep the commitment and don't forget.
Step Three
Create your own personal self-care menu
Make a list of all the activities, places, and experiences that bring you the most joy, peace, relaxation, restoration, and rest.
Step Four
Put your self-care menu in a place you will see it daily
Having your self-care in a place you can see it acts as a gentle reminder of it's importance. Also, when you are really stressed out or in a bad mood, it's helpful to have a menu of activities that could help you shift to a better state of being.
Step Five
Share with your family or an accountability partner your commitment
Sharing your commitment makes it more likely that you will stick to it. You could also ask this person to help hold you accountable and reach out to you daily or weekly to ask you how it's going.
Step Six
Journal & reflect on your experience
Track how it's going, which activities you love most, and how you are able to deal with stress now. Is it better? Worse? What's working? What's not working?
Sometimes you have to tweak your menu or schedule over time. Life is all about seasons...things change. It's important to be willing to go with that flow and change with it.
Self-Care Menu Ideas
Sometimes people find the activity of building our their self-care menu to be daunting. Below is a list of ideas to get you started. Remember this should be personal for you. Only add items to your list that bring you happy, joyful, peaceful, and rested.
Self-Care Menu Ideas:
- Take a yoga class
- Go dancing or have a solo dance party at home
- Get your nails done
- Get a massage
- Schedule a girls night out
- Cook a new recipe
- Have a date night out or in
- Read a good book
- Cuddle with your pet, kids, or significant other
- Ask for a hug
- Reach out to your community for support
- Exercise--cycle, run, hike, walk, swim
- Journal
- Find a therapist or coach to support you
- Call a close friend
- Play your favorite musical instrument
- Sing at the top of your lungs!
- Celebrate your big wins
- Write yourself a letter about how awesome you really are (this is a personal favorite)
That should be enough to get your brain cycles running. I'd love to hear what's on your self-care menu! Please share as a comment on this post.
Sharing is Caring
I would love to hear what you have committed to on this topic. What's on your self-care menu? What did you find challenging? What has been the best part of making this change?
Please contact me. I can't wait to hear what you are experiencing!
A key step in the journey of transformation is to share with your community. I encourage you to share this with anyone you think could benefit from reading it.
Need Support?
Sometimes starting a new routine and creating your own self-care menu can feel overwhelming or daunting. And sometimes we just need someone to guide us through the process. You are not alone. Most of my clients feel this way. I am here to partner with you in creating attainable action steps side by side to get you to your desired destination. The first step on that journey is finding your clarity and purpose.
If you need coaching support, please schedule a complimentary Total Transformation Discovery session with me today.
