We all desire and need lots of love, even Self Care love! Yes, coming from ourselves! Ever feel the world around you is caving in and not sure what to do? Ever think how is that I am not as calm and collected as I would like? Why am I such a downer! I sure have been there and frankly the older I get the less I can handle in the way of stress and busyness.
One of the greatest lessons I have learned from my cancer journey has been self-love. The how, why and what I should do in order to avoid becoming that crazed, screaming, angry and the not fun woman that appears when I don’t prioritize ME.
It’s important. The act of prioritizing yourself, taking physical + mental care of yourself, showing yourself the same love and attention is as critical for yourself as it is for the people who rely on you. As the daughter of a airline professional, you know the put on your oxygen mask before helping others analogy. If you aren’t maintaining your own happiness + strength, how can anyone else rely on you? Furthermore, how can you make yourself proud if you are just burnt out and upset.
Flourish -or- Collapse
Self Care + Love is the difference between flourishing and collapse. Trust me, I’ve been there.
If you’re like most of the women I encounter in my work, you’re probably thinking “ I’m fine. I don’t have the time or money to waste on self care.”
Please Trust ME, and just indulge me here for a little bit. You NEED to consider a self care plan. A true written plan. So that you can hold yourself accountable and reap the benefits.
If you’re like I have been, and having a hard time figuring out why you feel off, lacking energy, gaining weight, losing sleep, but you can’t quite put your finger on it, then you can’t afford not to to try some self care. I’m confident you’ll be so glad you did.
I wanted to compile an easy to use list of all the things – large and small – that I have found helps rejuvenate me during or after a long day of work and caring for my family and others. I’ve also included a downloadable PDF calendar for easy self care + love monthly planning.
These are some of the best self care activities I’ve found that are free or inexpensive, and are easy to start incorporating into your routine right now.
Whether you’re a new parent, a parent of a young child, the primary caretaker of any kind in your household, or just overwhelmed with life lately, these self love ideas are worth keeping in your calendar.
This is my list. I’d love to hear feedback of the small, but meaningful, things that you do to energize, relax, and care for yourself??
5 Minute Self Care Ideas
- Walk outside for fresh air and grounding even if its only for 5 minutes.
- Take 10 deep breaths, you can even do this one in the boardroom, kitchen, or car.
- Use our Goddess Glow each evening as an ode to your feminine energy and relax with its calming properties and health benefits.
- Write down 3 things you’re grateful for, gratitude is easy, free and amazingly powerful.
- Say No! It takes 1 second but can mean you have less stress. So make the decision to pass on something that will cause you more stress and overwhelm.
30 Minute Ideas
- Movement for at least 30 minutes a day! Just get moving, juices flowing, heart pumping, brain healing exercise. Do what you love without shame or expectations on yourself. The benefits are researched and valid.
- Create a Bath Ritual: A fun self-care activity. Fill the tub with water and add magnesium bath salts. Dim the lights and light some candles. Put on soothing music. Grab a cup of tea, glass of wine, margarita and slip in the tub. Ahhhhh. Don’t forget to lock the door!
- Power Nap! Power naps give your brain and body a chance to recover from the stress responses accumulated up to that point. Frequent power naps can be the difference between a steady decline in function and sustained or increased vitality and productivity. Afternoon slump be gone!
- Physical touch is healing and calming. We all need it, more than we might think we do. So grab a partner and hug it out!!! You’ll feel so good. If it leads to something more don’t forget to take us with you!
- Use 30 minutes to plan yourself an escape. Book a spa appointment, vacation, sign up for a race, carve out personal time in your calendar to do something you love. Then treat that decision like it absolutely has to happen. The visual journey in 30 minutes to plan in the future some ME time is just as calming for your brain as it will be when that date on your calendar actually comes up! Daydreaming + Planning = Self Love Bliss
Monthly + Quarterly Ideas
- Purge toxic people! Are people in your life draining your energy and creating stress? Are you doing all of the work to maintain the relationship with little in return? Back off from toxic people who drag you down and make you feel bad. Don’t feel bad or the need to argue with them just take the break!
- SLEEP! Focus on getting good sleep. From a bedtime routine, temperature, timing and comfort prioritization of sleep is one of the most important life shifts with a high ROI.
- Explore using essential oils like the ones in Goddess Glow. They may reduce the symptoms of depression and anxiety, alleviate physical ailments, improve sleep, help digestion, and have many other benefits.
- Call a supportive friend! Or better yet invite them over for coffee. Use this one anytime, all year long. Connectivity Heals!!!
- Try a Creative Hobby. I teach art to my 2nd graders class and I know many women worry they are not good enough ask their efforts will be crappy. Don’t focus on the results. Focus on the joy of a creation. Being creative reduces stress, protects your brain function, improves your mood, and can enhance your social life.
So, how do I make Self Care Attainable?
In order for this plan to be attainable, how do you go about including self care in your daily routine? For me, I absolutely NEED to make it part of my calendar—quite literally, like a doctor’s appointment. Most mornings, I get up and make a to-do list for the day. Alongside things like “grocery shop” and “write blog article,” I slot in one or more self care activities. Every single day. Make them just as non-negotiable as returning emails for work or cooking dinner.
I think everyone should make their own list of self care ideas to pull from daily! I am a huge proponent of individuality and this includes self care as well. My list isn’t one-size-fits-all. For example, I know a lot of ladies who would never put “go for a run” or “go to the gym” on their self care list. But for me those items are emotionally fulfilling and physically needed. Spend the time to figure out what you need and make your own list. Happy Self Care, Self Love List building!
