Feeding your Soul Begins with Self-Care

Self-care is talked about all the time but what does it mean? The definition of self-care when looked up is the practice of taking an active role in protecting one's well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress. I would like to dive deeper. Self-care is unique, it is not only taking care of yourself and protecting your well-being and happiness, it is making sure you take care of your mind, body, and spirit. 

With self-care being raved about these days, as it should, you will also find a million and one ways how to practice it so let’s simplify it a bit. 

You may be asking where do I start or how do I know what to do.  Below are helpful tips to get you started on your Self-Care journey

• Start with knowing how much time you can commit daily to your self-care practice. Be practical, it is easy to say 2 hours a day however you may only have 20 minutes. Start smaller and add rather than larger and remove, it will help you to stay accountable to your commitment and aid in removing a feeling of being overwhelmed.

• Make a list of things that feed your soul, that makes you feel light and good. Your list can be as long or short as you wish it to be. Here are some examples that may show up for you. 

• Exercise

• Meditation

• Morning cup of tea uninterrupted

• Reading

• Listening to relaxing music

• Going for a walk

• Cleansing your space

• Journaling 

• Tapping 

• Massage (Abyhanga is a great way to promote relaxation and healing)

• Pick 1-2 things from your list that are doable daily. Choose based on how much time you can commit to daily. If meditation is important but you only have 20 minutes each day, then meditate for 20 minutes or 10 minutes and add another self-care goodie.

• Pick 1-2 things you can commit to weekly. I recommend choosing some goodies that take more time to accomplish.

• For your daily self-care goodies decide what time of day works best for you to do them. I find morning is best that way you get it done without time lapsing which can create excuses for not completing it.

• For your weekly self-care goodies decide what day of the week works best for you. Like your daily care, I recommend in the morning, on the same day each week, and on a light day for you. 

• Once you have your choices, write your daily and weekly ones on a post-it note, whiteboard, paper, whatever works for you, and place it where you can see it first thing in the morning. Post-it notes work great because you can do a few and post them throughout your house as reminders. 

• Make it a routine: making it a routine will provide the opportunity to make it a habit, a non-negotiable. Stick with the same time frame each day and week to help promote success. 

Now that you have your unique self-care routine start feeding your soul!