Self-Care

I am an advocate for living life with kindness, compassion, gratitude and mindfulness. Frequently, I talk about this in terms of our relationships and interactions with others. The difficult part is applying these acts to ourselves.

We get consumed with work, family and friends to the point that by day’s end, we are spent and have nothing left for our own needs. We get less than enough sleep, our minds race, we don’t eat properly and our stress levels (as well as blood pressure) can get out of control. There are ways to combat this.

1. JUST BREATHE! As little as 1 minute a day of deep breathing is beneficial. Try to do 1 minute several times a day.
2. Meditate – Set a time of day to block everything out and clear your mind. There are fantastic apps available to guide you through this. (My favorite is Calm.) Even 10 minutes a day is incredibly helpful.
3. Say “NO” to (or cancel) activities that you don’t feel up to. It is really ok to do this. People who care about us will understand and those who don’t care about us should have little influence.
4. Get physical activity – There are many things you can do. Use weights (cans of soup or vegetables, etc work fine), resistance bands, take a walk, practice yoga, which is great for both the body and mind, swim or join a gym. 30 minutes a day, even if it’s 10 minutes 3x a day is sufficient. Just active your muscles.
5. Indulge in a hobby – crafts, reading, collecting or any activity you enjoy. Make time at least once a week to do this.
6. Set a bedtime and routine and an awake time – Dim lights and shut down electronics 1 hour or more before bed. Stick to these routines as much as you can.
7. Eat healthier – Cook meals that don’t require a microwave oven. If it is affordable for you, join a program like Home Chef (my personal favorite) Boxed, Blue Apron or any other. Healthy foods in the correct proportions is the key. (example below)

These are just some of the ways to show love and compassion to yourself. Remind yourself that you are amazing, worthy and you are enough just the way you are.