Unless you live under a rock, you’ve probably heard the latest buzz word in the health and wellness space – “Self Care”. And you know what, I am here for it!
While “Self Care” might be a new, trending term, the idea of being the best version of ourselves certainly isn’t new. To me, self care is about prioritizing my own wellbeing so I can be the best version of myself and show up for the other people in my life. While the topic sounds great in theory, I feel the discussion is lacking when it comes to the tangible steps we can take to care for ourselves. To become to the best versions of ourselves.
Enter: self care.
This is a term that means entirely different things to different people. So, I’m going to share what self care looks like for me in hopes that you can loosely apply some of these principles to design a self care routine that works for you.
Make the Unenjoyable Enjoyable
If you read my article about finding a workout routine that you love, you already know my secret. I really don’t love Monday. And, as someone who wants to inspire you to live a healthy, happy life that you love, I’m a little embarrassed to admit that I too occasionally dread Monday morning. So, for me, this is where my self care journey began. Monday rolls around every seven days so I’m determined to make the most of it.
For me, that means starting my Monday morning with a 20-minute yoga flow. I find it to be a relaxing way to ease into the week and it’s something I look forward to when climbing into bed on Sunday night.
I also start my Monday’s with a short walk to grab a matcha latte from my favorite matcha place down the street. The extra caffeine boost makes my Monday morning meetings that much more productive, and I genuinely look forward to the 5-minute walk, outside and away from my computer.
Between yoga and a matcha, I’ve managed to turn my least favorite part of my week into something I actually look forward to. Life is too short not to enjoy it. So, as part of your self care routine, I highly suggest you take a look at the parts of your life that don’t excite you. Then, brainstorm how you can transform them into a more positive experience.
Treat Yourself
In case the $6 matcha wasn’t enough of a treat, I also have a downright obsession with smoothies. In fact, they are a recurring theme across all of my blog posts. So, you better believe a healthy, delicious smoothie is part of my self care routine. Typically, on Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on my work schedule, I carve out 20 minutes and go get a smoothie from my favorite place across town. It brings me genuine happiness and the break from my computer allows me to come back feeling refreshed, energized and ready to take on the rest of the day.
Is there something you could treat yourself to that would make your day brighter? If so, I highly suggest you find a way to incorporate into your self care routine where you can.
Journal
I can’t say enough about the benefits of journaling. In fact, I have a whole separate article about journaling that I highly suggest you check out. Whether you’re having a great day, a bad day, are in a disagreement with a friend, lacking motivation, feeling inspired or feeling overwhelmed, journaling is such a powerful tool to get your feelings out in the open. Once on paper, I find my feelings and emotions are so much easier to make sense of. I can draw connections between how I’m feeling internally and how I’m acting externally. I can identify what I need more of in my life, and what I need less of.
In fact, I have used journaling to develop some of my other self care routines. With a prompt like, ‘what makes me feel genuinely happy?’ or ‘what am I doing when I’m at my best?’ you’re bound to uncover some of the things your body/mind value most. Things you should undoubtedly incorporate into your self care practice. Don’t have a journal? Grab a piece of paper and start writing! You’ll be amazed by what flows out of you when you put pen to paper.
Do Something Kind for Someone Else
I would like to preface this section by saying that if you already spend too much of your time serving others, this section is not for you! Skip this idea and don’t think twice about it! Seriously. After all, this is about helping YOU becoming the best version of yourself and there is nothing remotely selfish about it. For those of us that might benefit from doing something kind for someone else, keep on reading.
Your self care routine should leave you better than it finds you. But for many people, doing kind things for others is just as beneficial as doing something kind for yourself. That’s why one night a week I set my intention on doing something kind for my husband. I make him his favorite dinner (tacos – lucky for me it happens to be one of my favorites as well!). I commit to logging off my computer at a reasonable hour, giving him my undivided attention over dinner or watching a show with him that he enjoys.
Making my husband, and indirectly, our marriage, a priority pays dividends in terms of my health and happiness. Having dedicated time to spend together also makes it easier for me to take time for myself at other points during the week.
Doing something kind for others very well could involve people outside of your household. Potentially it looks like volunteering for a group or a cause that is important to you. Maybe you help out in your child’s classroom. Or maybe you take your dad to an afternoon coffee. When thinking about self care, consider who else might be able to benefit as part of your journey.
Parting Words
As I mentioned at the start of this article, self care does, and should, look different for everyone. It’s about fueling your mind, body and life with the things that recharge your soul. It’s about remembering that you are a priority in your life and honoring that priority. Even if nothing in this article specifically resonates with your idea of self care, I hope it leaves you feeling inspired to figure out what does. And remember, self care will never be selfish.
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