Self-Care
It’s official! I’m declaring the month of September (yes, I realize it’s halfway over) as #selfcareseptember. We have No-Shave November, so why not Self-Care September?
Summer is such a crazy time with the kids at home and everyone’s schedules are all over the place, but now that the kids are back in school, and you have a moment to breathe yourself, September is the perfect time to focus on taking better care of Y-O-U.
What is self-care?
When you read the word self-care do you think of pampering yourself with bubble baths, facials at the spa, manicures, and getting your hair done? Self-care actually has nothing to do with looking good, it’s about feeling good. Self-care is anything you do to be good and kind to yourself. It’s about listening to your body, mind, and spirit to find what they -you- really need. It can be anything that replenishes your tank -bubble baths and facials included. It’s reprioritizing your goals so that they add to your well-being instead of depleting from it.
Self-care practices are extremely individual. What feels good and kind to me, will not necessarily feels good and kind to you. It’s also okay if your self-care practice changes from time to time. It does not need to be set in stone. Just like we are constantly evolving and changing, what feels good to us is also going to change.
Where do I begin?
To begin, figure out what habits, behaviors, and routines feel good to you right now, and which one’s don’t. Figure out what things are important right now in your life and what things you can move to the back burner. Ask yourself “What feels like love?” Don’t worry about what you think you SHOULD be doing, focus on what will really feel good to you.
My Self-Care Practice
For me, I decided that social media was draining me, and scrolling through it every day did not feel good or very loving, so for the time being, I’ve deleted all social media apps off of my phone. Maybe I’ll load them back on later, maybe I won’t.
Another form of self-care that I decided I wanted to implement more of was meal planning. Figuring out what to make for dinner every night had become a stressful task that I dreaded. What it is about meal planning that makes me cringe with anxiety just thinking about it? But alas, I knew something had to change, so, I decided to take 5 minutes, to plan out as many meals as I could. Five minutes felt doable. So, I opened my Favoreats app and began planning. Before I knew it, I had planned meals for the entire month and even a few days into next month as well! Now, each Monday night as part of my self-care routine, I order all my groceries for the week online, and on Tuesday I pick them up. This feels so good and has eliminated the stress of both grocery shopping (another thing I loathe) and getting a healthy meal on the table.
Another self-care act I’m implementing is allowing myself a nap every afternoon if I want it – no feeling guilty about all the things I should be doing instead.
Self-Care Ideas
What every self-care feels like to you – do it. There is no right or wrong answer. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Journaling daily/weekly
Starting a gratitude practice
Daily meditation
Eating more nutritiously or maybe allowing yourself a daily treat
Incorporating more quiet time into your day
Allowing yourself to take an actual lunchbreak during your work day
Setting aside more time to work on your hobbies or to go out with friends
Weekly date-night with your spouse
Making time for prayer and scripture study
Going to bed earlier or waking up earlier
Making time for Joyful Movement
Lighting a Bath and Body Works Autumn candle while you sip a mug of hot cocoa (even if it’s still 100 degrees outside)
Maybe it’s taking a walk outside instead of working out at the gym
What is your current self-care plan or what do forms of self-care are you going to start practicing?
