Would you consider yourself ‘Self Care Savvy’? Well don’t stress after reading this you will be.
Self-care is the act of looking after yourself, it’s about taking a moment that’s just for you to restore and maintain your beautiful and best version of YOU.
It’s self care that helps keep us emotionally, physically and mentally well.
We all know when we start to feel tired, stressed, drained or the worst one when we are approaching total burnout. Well self-care is the antithesis of these unwanted states of being that we find ourselves in more often than not in this fast-paced ‘never-ending inbox’ of a modern world.
Let’s take a look at some ways you can incorporate more self-care into your life to avoid burnout and feeling stressed.
1. Learn to say NO
Calendar & to do list constantly full? Whilst new experiences and connecting with friends are a good thing, be careful not to over exert yourself. By savouring your energy and being more conscious about how you spend your time you can start to identify early signs of stress creeping in and stop it in its tracks.
2. Walk it out
Going for a walk, groundbreaking stuff right? How about jazzing up your walk and try to be present with no distractions, this time try and find the beauty in your simple walk.
Is the sun shining? Any cute dogs you can see? Look at the houses you pass by every day and notice the details of their front gardens, you’ll be surprised at how much newness is around that you may have passed by every day and not ever noticed before.
Are there any beautiful flowers along your walk? Rosemary and lavender are quite common and both have healing/relaxation properties.
Try picking some and rubbing between your hands and smelling it, your brain will detect the scent and send a note to your receptors to start relaxing you. By bringing your awareness to the present moment you’ll notice inspiration is all around you.
3. Take a phone break
Put down your phone, and break the circuit of continually checking, scrolling, texting, calling and going without for a little reset. All the activities or hobbies you always wanted to do? Take away the hours spent on your phone and they’ll seem more achievable, you know why? Because they are!
Your time is precious, put it into things that bring you joy and ditch your emails on your phone.
4. Water
Water has an amazing effect on our energy fields and its ability to renew, restore and cleanse. Whichever is your preferred way of getting water onto you be it a shower, bath or if you’re up for it a dip in the ocean, then go for it!
When you engage with the water in each of these different ways do it with a considered approach thats different to your usual shower/bath/dip.
For the shower, visualize all your worries washing away and feel the cleansing feeling of any negative energy leaving your body as the water leaves your skin.
For a bath, focus on your breathing and stilling your mind, this could be helped with relaxing music playing too.
Got an ocean nearby? Lucky you, by being in such a large body of water find comfort in knowing that as you enter deeper into the water you are mentally leaving what is causing you pain or discomfort on the shore. Let the waves wash over you and feel the fresh new energy as you emerge with a renewed mindset and confidence that you can overcome your stressors and that things won’t always be this way.
5. Eat Well
Nourish your body with foods that are good for you, think soups, green leafy vegetables, protein etc. Even if you dont feel like it to start, resist the sugary/fatty cravings by choosing a meal that is good for you and afterwards you’ll feel so much better for it. We’ve all indulged in Mcdonalds, KFC or the likes only to feel terrible moments after eating it in our stomachs, through breakouts on our skin or even in the bathroom not long after. That’s our bodies way of telling us that’s not the type of fuel it thrives on. Fuel your body with green not junk.
6. Take 10 to be Zen & Meditate
Now we’ve slipped this one in here to see who is paying attention! Not really but even though it’s a bit lower in the list it really deserves first place for as far as self care acts meditation is a truly potent one.
Meditation might not be everyone’s cup of tea and for some it can be the absolute last thing they want to do when stressed is to sit within their own thoughts. Look we hear you but hear us out, it may feel counterintuitive to sit with your thoughts but it’s actually a powerful way to separate from the moment and take an outsiders view to your problems. By taking a moment to sit, listen and physically feel how you feel about something it will soften those knee jerk reactions, bring you closer to your own intuition and you’ll come to find you may feel very different about something once you do meditate and see things in another light.
By getting comfortable with that initial uncomfortablity and pushing through you’ll start to see the magical healing benefits of meditation. There’s no other way to describe it, meditation is magic.
7. Laugh!
Laughter is one of the greatest free remedys on the planet. Catch up with a friend that makes you laugh, think about a funny moment that happened to you, reminisce on funny stories, go see a comedy show, find a reason to laugh and start yesterday, not only is a deep belly laugh pure ecstasy but by laughing you release endorphins known as the feel good hormone.
Neurobiology shows that laughter leads to positive brain changes and it also has the ability to transform fear and anger so, what are you waiting for? Get laughing!