Self-Care Tips And How You Can Improve Your Practice
What is self-care? I guess it can be a topic for discussion. Some people think binging on Netflix while eating pizza is self-care. Some people think it’s going to an expensive spa. I’ve been guilty of thinking both are self-care. The spa can be a way to nourish your body, but it isn’t at all necessary to achieve self-care. I want to give you some self-care tips and how to improve your practice. The last year has opened my eyes to what caring for my body can do. It has also brought to light the habits I engage in that don’t do well for my body. Sometimes those pesky bad habits sneak back in, like scrolling on TikTok for hours or indulging in sugar. I’m only human and know that sometimes we need to shut out the world and indulge. Self-care is taking small steps every day to take on new healthy habits. So back to what self-care is…. it’s in the name, caring for the self. Do you think eating sugar while watching mindless media is caring for the body? It doesn’t sound like it, and my mind and body never feel good after the fact. I either overeat or waste too much time when I could be doing something that makes me feel good. Here are some great ways for self-care: Turn your phone off Sit and honor your feelings and emotions A nice warm bath with some candles and music Walk-in nature Meditation Yoga Massaging your body with oil Journaling (check out my free daily gratitude journal) A whole day of healthy eating We should do self-care as a part of our daily life, not something we resort to when we can’t give anymore. My husband, kids, and I took a trip to Hilton Head for a long weekend over Mother’s Day in 2019. It was just a few weeks after my son of four months had to have surgery, and I was ready for some R&R! We were out to dinner on Mother’s Day, and my daughter’s finger got caught in a door. After spending the night at the ER and my daughter having to have emergency surgery, it wasn’t the best way to spend Mother’s Day. To make up for this Mother’s Day gone wrong, I had booked a yoga retreat at the Art of Living Center in Boone, NC, for the fall of 2019. In my mind, I needed this yoga retreat away to get the relaxation and rest I desperately craved. I was to the point where I couldn’t care for others until I gave myself the care I needed. Self-care wasn’t daily practice in my life. It started great, and the idea of the place is impressive. It had yoga, a spa, and nature. It wasn’t the luxurious type of spa that I had been to a couple of times before, but it had the peaceful vibe I needed. The first morning I woke up not feeling the best. I was in denial; I was getting weaker as the day went on. I was on my way to being pretty sick, but I hadn’t allowed myself to process it. I still did most of the activities planned, but by evening I had excused myself to get to bed early. I barely slept and woke up feeling terrible. I went to the yoga class and breakfast, thinking that it would help get my body moving. I planned on going for a hike after checking out, but I had no energy for such an adventurous task. I felt so bad I wasn’t sure I could drive a few hours back home, but I kept on trucking. During the drive home, my husband informed me both kids were also pretty sick. I felt so guilty I had been away, and now I had to tend to the kids even though I felt horrible. My daughter had an ear infection, while my son and I both had double ear infections. They were so bad the infection was in our eyes. Looking back at this time of my life, I pushed myself so hard to do it all; my body was shutting down. Now let’s fast forward to February 2020. We were taking a family ski trip to visit my husband’s family. We were bringing my nephew for his Christmas and birthday present. I didn’t have any relaxation expectations for this trip since I don’t ski and would be hanging back with my son. We were all staying at a rental property in the cute little town about twenty minutes away from my sister-in-law and brother-in-law’s house. I was happy to get the family time in. One afternoon I had asked to use my brother-in-law’s infrared sauna since it is highly suggested when detoxing my body from the mold. They were happy for me to use it and said to take as long as I needed. I don’t think I had done anything for as long as I wanted without a time stamp on it for a very long time. I took the twenty-minute drive to their house and played my favorite music. I even stopped off to check out the gorgeous views of the New River Gorge. That time in the sauna was the most impactful self-care I have ever done. I sat, I journaled, and I listened to music at separate times. I cried, prayed, and gave gratitude for every moment I had experienced in my life. I sat on their front porch and stared at the snow-covered trees. I experienced the “NOW.” So my point of those very different trips is that giving your mind and body the attention it needs is self-care. You don’t need a fancy spa or a weekend retreat to provide yourself with the care you need. You need to set the boundaries, make the effort and turn your phone
A Daily Gratitude Journal with Prompts
It’s time for us to bring a positive outlook into our daily life. I’ve created a daily gratitude journal with prompts to help us all make that step. Beginning or ending your day with gratitude is a great way to transition your mindset into a positive way. Bring Positivity into your daily life by joining the daily gratitude journal with prompts Try to embody the gratitude you feel when prompted. I want you to create a practice that strengthens in time. Give it more attention than the pen hitting the paper. Sit with the feelings of gratitude. Imagine the sight, sound, smell, taste, or feeling it gives you. If over time journaling doesn’t feel good or productive, you can always sit in prayer or meditation with these prompts. This challenge is for you to figure out what serves you best. I want you to leave this practice feeling like you’ve unlocked a part of you that you didn’t know existed This daily gratitude journal with prompts will help you on the path of changing your mindset for positive thinking. Once you sign up and confirm, you will receive a PDF journal for you to print or download. Pick a time that you can commit to each day. Try not to change the time as you go. It is most important to show up on the days that seem the hardest Journaling isn’t something to check off your list. Journaling is something you need to embrace fully. Each prompt suggests picking three examples for the journal prompt. The number is only a suggestion. Some entries you might want to list ten and others just one. I think it is essential to embody the question and sit with the answer. If that leaves you only listing one, that’s ok. There is no wrong way to journal as long as you are listening to yourself. Let It All Go Before we start this daily gratitude journal with prompts, I think we can all use a bit of “letting go.” As we all know, 2020 was an experience like no other. I encourage you to commit 10-15 minutes to journal about what experiences, feelings, or whatever doesn’t serve you in your daily life. LET IT ALL GO! Maybe some of the problematic situations brought new insight, but let the negative emotions around it go. Once you get everything you need out on that paper, give it a farewell. Burn it, rip it, drown it in water, whatever feels best for you to let it go. I’m so proud of you for showing up for this. I hope this daily gratitude journal with prompts creates something new that you never knew existed. Sign up below to get a daily gratitude journal prompt. I look forward to this journey with you. Click HERE to sign up! With Gratitude, Cara Check out some of my other posts here: Welcome to the Journey of Wellnest Reset