Self Care

I used to think self-care was treating myself to a facial, manicure, getting a massage or something along those lines of pampering. And yes, while these are popular self-care activities, I truly didn’t realize how much more self-care encompasses. As a kid, I was never taught about self-awareness. For my whole adult life I just did what I was supposed to do and never really thought about balance in life, or what I may need to help strengthen my mental, physical and emotional game. I knew physical exercise was good, but really didn’t understand the effect it had on my mental game. Being self-aware is the first step in knowing how to provide yourself with the self-care you need to nourish your MIND, body and soul. I now realize how mental and physical heath are intricately connected in the game of life! It’s about finding ways to release stress and re-boot to continue doing the best we can.

You may be wondering what is self-care actually means. Everyone has their own ideas of what self-care is, but it might help to understand what it is not. It is NOT exercising when you really don’t enjoy exercising. It is NOT doing any activity that doesn’t bring you joy. You may also be wondering, what’s the big deal if I don’t take care of myself like I should? It doesn’t matter to anyone but me, right? Unfortunately, there are consequences that can affect not only you but your loved ones as well. These include lack of patience, trouble sleeping, anxiety, and depression, and a general sense of burnout.

Instead, self-care IS finding something that helps you to release negative energy and re-fuels your mind, body and soul to feel more positive! Self-care IS finding something you truly enjoy doing that feeds your emotional, physical, and mental energy and gives you a renewed sense of tenacity so that you can continue to be the pillar of strength that you are!

Self-care IS also essential for knowing how to handle and resolve stressful situations and through self-awareness, we can learn about effective self-care techniques. Knowing how to arm yourself with the stability to get through tough times, the more empowered you become! Furthermore, if you don’t take care of yourself, those little stressors will build up, and eventually catch up.

Let’s celebrate by giving ourselves a well deserved day of self care.

Mark your calendars for April 5, 2021, National Self Care Day, a day that I created to raise awareness about taking care of ourselves! So many people I talk to are living life for everyone else and yet their own lives are truly out of balance. Life commitments take precedents leaving little, if any, time for ourselves. Can you relate? Many people don’t really know what to do for themselves, or where to start which leaves them guessing at what might be healthy activities to do. The bottom line is that no one is going to take care of you and make you a consistent priority except for YOU.

The good news is that I’m here for support and have created a list of self-care ideas that might help you to de-stress and re-boot! We are all in this together, so let’s help each other to be the best version of ourselves!

Schedule a coaching session

Self Care Ideas

Shut down electronics for a day.

Take a walk/hike

Laugh! Find something funny to do and literally laugh out loud, even if you’re by yourself! Don’t just laugh in your head…

Dance! Turn on music and just let go and move.

Cook your favorite meal just for yourself, (if you like to cook).

Do something nice for someone. It’s amazing how this can lift your mood!

Hug someone.

Watch the sun rise or set.

Go out in the sunshine.

Have a social night with friends.

Self care and personal development techniques

Learn how to meditate or practice if you already know

Buy a journal and start writing in it

Create a list of what you are grateful for

Learn something new

Replace 1 negative thing you say about yourself with one positive. Say that positive thing OUT LOUD to yourself for 1 week. (This is tougher to do than it sounds)

Find 3 positive affirmations that resonate with you and say them out loud every day for a week

Start a gratitude journal. Write what you’re grateful for every morning for a week

Set an intention and write down something you’d like to manifest more of in your life.

Write down 1 or more negative emotions that you’d like to release from your life that doesn’t serve you anymore. (Anger, guilt, jealousy, regret, worry, fear, etc). Fold the paper away from you 2 times. Find a safe place to burn the paper. Believe in the release of the negative energy and let it go as the paper burns.

Listen to a personal development podcast or Ted Talk

Text someone that you haven’t spoken with in a very long time

Get a good nights sleep, take the steps necessary to ensure you do.