I’ve been thinking a lot about self-care lately. It goes without saying that self-care is very important and critical in maintaining sanity! Like many women, I sometimes find myself in a shameful guilt cycle when I take time for myself. Sometimes I am better with this than other times. I can confidently say though that I am my best self when I take the time to make sure I am healthy in mind, body and spirit. Below is my self-care musts list. The following list contains the things that really help me ensure I am taking care of myself. This is not a one size fits all type of list. One woman’s chore may be another woman’s me-time. Please share in the comments your self-care tips!
MY TOP SELF-CARE MUSTS LIST:
- Daily gratitude practice. I make sure every single morning to write down 5 things I’m grateful for.
- Morning routine/daily intentions. By this point you may have gathered that I crave and need routine. Setting up your day with small goals and tasks really does set you up for success.
- Getting lost in a book. I’m currently reading Oprah’s What I Know for Sure. Shocker I know!
- Enjoying my shows. Right now I’m watching Modern Family, This is Us, and 911.
- Podcasts! Really into Ready to Rise, Rise Together, Unlocking Us, and Whine Down.
- Keeping hydrated. This is a daily struggle for me! I try to drink half of my body weight in ounces of water daily.
- Fitness. I’m not one who loves to workout but my body and mind always thank me after. Having workout groups such as Fit4Mom has really been helpful.
- Being mindful of my eating habits. Mindful is the key word here. It’s very easy for me to fall into bad eating habits, especially when I’m feeling sad or stressed.
- Taking social media breaks. It’s absolutely amazing to unplug, focus on the here and now, and stop the unnecessary scrolling. It’s also nice to not consciously or unconsciously compare yourself to other women. Nobody got time for that!!
- Girls’ nights. I’m a huge fan of girls’ nights. Having a good group of supportive girlfriends is so important. We always have such a fun time and we support each other through thick and thin.
- Snuggles with my cat. Am I slightly obsessed with my cat? Yes!!! There is nothing more relaxing than snuggling with my cat Belle and listening to her purr.
- Sleep. Good sleep is a must for me. If I am not getting 7-8 hours of sleep I am a monster. Adequate sleep is so so so important. I feel better, I eat better, and I have way more energy when I am getting good sleep.
- Ice cream. The occasional ice cream treat from Handel’s or Mitchell’s is good for my soul.
- Walks in nature. I love taking a walk in the valley and connecting with nature.
- Homemade spa nights. This is something my daughter and I started a few years ago. We do little facials, foot baths, nail painting, etc.
- Therapy. I’ll be preaching therapy until the day I die! It is vital for me.
- Date nights. You’ve got to date your spouse! My husband and I make it a priority to have monthly date nights. It’s something we look forward to. We usually do a small trip for our anniversary as well.
- Taking myself on a date. At least once a month I will take myself on a date. I will grab a coffee, walk around Target, get myself a treat. It’s blissful!!
- Getting my hair done. One of my favorite things is getting my hair done. It’s great to chat with my hair stylist and freshen up my locks. Getting in 3-4 amazing hair days doesn’t hurt either 😜
- Putting in some extra time on my appearance. Putting on nice clothes and doing my hair and makeup is not the norm for me. You can typically find me in my yoga pants. However, if I’m in a rut, taking some time on my appearance definitely helps! Sometimes all it takes is some blush and a cute outfit.
- Quality time with my family. With the hustle and bustle of life, it is so easy to get stuck in our routines. I really try to make it an effort to nourish the relationships I have with family and make the time together count.
- Having hobbies. It is so important for me to have a few hobbies. Yes I am a mom first, but I am also so many other things. Having this blog has been so therapeutic for me and has given me such joy and purpose. I also really enjoy my Fit4Mom crew and my Holy Angels Moms Group.
- Mental health days. Sometimes we all just need a day to do a whole lot of nothing!
- Alone time. I am an only child and definitely need my alone time. - Connecting with neighbors. For an extrovert like myself, caring for myself is sometimes as easy as making sure I am connecting with others around me. I absolutely love my neighborhood! We love doing little bonfires with our neighbors or just standing around catching up while the kids ride bikes. I really enjoy community.
- Vacations. Having a weekend or week long get away is sometimes all you need to feel refreshed and ready for the weeks ahead.
- Checking in with myself. I am a natural extrovert and love to keep busy. That is great but it doesn’t take much for me to feel run down. Overcommitting has always been something I try to keep an eye on because I know it’s something I’ll do to distract myself. Sometimes when I am feeling a hard time coming on, I really have to stop myself from filling up that calendar and ask myself what is really going on? What is the best way to handle this?
I leave you with this quote from blogger Katie Reed. “Self-care is giving the world the best of you, instead of what’s left of you.” It’s the same idea as the cup full concept. When your cup is full it can run over with joy and love for others. If you are constantly pouring your cup into everyone’s else’s and not taking time for you, you will just feel run down and tired. How much will you really have to give to others? I encourage each and every woman reading this to really examine the ways in which you care for yourself. Ask yourself, are you really taking care of yourself? What ways can you improve your self-care regime? What ways are you rocking self-care? Please share with us in the comments!