How do you take care of yourself? Do you even have time to take care of yourself?
What does that even mean?
Life can get crazy with children, family, work and the every day hustle.
When was the last time you took some time out of your crazy schedule to "take care of yourself"?
You are probably thinking "What does she even mean by that?"
Self care is an important part of success and just living in general. I am sure you have heard the expression "If you take care of everyone else and not yourself, you will eventually have nothing left to give.".
This expression is very true. When you take the time to take care of yourself you will feel stronger mentally and probably physically. You will think Clearer and probably be filled with new ideas regularly. You will also probably feel less tired.
I wanted to share a few Self Care habits that I make part of my regular routine.
1. Meditation.
I put this as number one because it is my absolute favorite. I will admit there has been times when I don't meditate and the difference is astounding. I feel super foggy, confused, horrible memory, and tired.
After quite a while of not meditating I decided I wanted to pick up the habit again and within one day I saw a huge improvement. My mental fog cleared, my memory got a little better, and new ideas rush into my mind daily.
This only take me about 5-10 additional minutes in the morning. And it is worth every second.
2. Reading.
I also struggle with being consistent with this however I do believe it makes a huge difference.
When I talk about reading I don't mean fiction books or horror type books. I mean reading with a purpose.
When was the last time you picked up a personal development book?
Have you ever read a personal development book?
If you haven't you NEED to!
I gather a ton of inspiration from these books and they give you a boost in energy and make you feel like you can conquer the world.
"But I don't have time to read!" How much TV do you watch daily. The average American watches 5hrs of tv daily. 5 HOURS! That is a lot of TV!
Fun fact: My husband and I don't have Cable and we don't watch tv! I know crazy right?
When I watch tv it feels good in the moment but then I am left with guilt because I spent too much time watching tv and didn't get my other stuff done and the things on tv usually don't change my life or make me feel better about myself. If anything they make me feel worse!
3. Take a Vacation.
This is a wonderful self care option and it doesn't have to be expensive or lengthy.
Take a staycation. Find a hotel in town that is inexpensive and just stay for a night or maybe two. This gives you break with out being distracted by all there is to do at home (cleaning, bills, work, etc.)
Take a trip to the beach or go visit something in your town that you have never seen before but always wanted to.
Groupon is another great place to find new things to try in town.
4. Having a clean and clutter free home and work space.
I know, I know you are very busy and if you weren't so busy the house would be clean right?
I guarantee that if you had a clean house and work space your mind would feel less stressed and jumbled.
This may require hiring someone to clean. It would be totally worth the money to have that mental clarity and feel better about yourself.
5. Take care of your body.
This can also take time but it is time well spent.
Taking care of your body can mean many different things. It can mean eating right and not feeding your body fast food and processed food. I am no expert on health and wellness but I do know that when I eat clean food and less bread, pastas, and sugars my mind is like a well oiled machine. I have more energy, less brain fog, and I feel better about myself instead of beating myself up for eating pizza and fast food.
Another way to take care of your body is esthetically. Find a friend to go get pedicures with or better yet go alone! Go get a facial or a massage. Get your hair done and try a new style or color. Take a bath and use all the bath bombs and bath salts!
6. Hit the beach!
I know some people don't like the beach. However there is something to be said about visiting the salt water. They say Salt water has healing powers and changes your vibe all together.
It so true. I can not think of a single time I went to the beach feeling down and did not leave feeling better.
Sunset is my favorite time to go. Get in the car and turn on your favorite tunes and head for the beach. As you get closer to the beach roll down the windows and embrace the smell of the salt water as you see that beautiful green blue water the closer you get to the beach with your favorite song playing the back ground. Embrace the smooth soft sand scrunching between your toes, the whooshing of the water hitting the shore while the little birds run along the edge of the water. Take in the most gorgeous sky filled with pinks, blues, purples, yellows, and oranges reflecting as the sun slowly sinks down and disappears past the water line. And be thankful for all you have in life.
There are so many different options for self care but I promise that just trying one of these options will make a huge impact and you will feel incredible after just a few weeks of implementing this into your routine.