The struggle is real everyone. Right now, during this pandemic that is causing panic, stress, We are being told to slow down and rest. I love this quote from Dave Hollis, “In the rush to return to normal, use this time to consider which parts of normal are worth rushing back to.” We all deserve this rest and to reset with some much-needed self-care. In this quick guide, I am sharing to help you effortlessly manage your well-being — and hopefully avoid undue emotional, mental, and physical distress during these uncertain times.
What is self care?
Self-care is a blanket term for all the things you can do to take ownership of your personal health and wellness. This does not mean pigging out on chocolate and ice cream or over-working yourself at the gym. This is about finding your center and practicing mindfulness to feel a little more “whole”.
Why you need self-care?
Incorporating self-care activities into your routine is a systematic approach to improving or maintaining your health and wellness on a day-to-day basis. It’s about taking care of the mind and body and treating them holistically.
If you ask any medical professional or holistic living professional, they will tell you rest is essential for physical and mental health. When the body is deprived of sleep, it is unable to rebuild, reset, and recharge. Your mind and body need rest!
These are some great steps to take toward reclaiming the lost art of rest and self-care.
1. Find joy! The reason we are unable to find rest is that we are under the constant impression that our lives can and should be better than they are today. We shouldn’t settle but enough is a decision, not an amount!
2. Plan for rest. I will say that I’m glad for it being forced but rest will come only from intentional planning and it will come only if it is truly desired. If you can’t make a day of rest, at least make it a daily habit to pause and linger on the stillness, either in your morning routine or evening routine.
3. Take ownership! You are not a victim of your own life! Refuse to complain or make excuses. Change your habits! I’m actually working on the #Next90DayChallenge with Rachel Hollis on how to re-structure some of my own habits and mindset. Come join because you cannot help anyone until you help yourself and re-fill your own tank first!
4. Embrace intentionality. Embrace an intentional lifestyle that focuses on your values and not on all the things!
5. Include your family in the rest. It is much easier to practice the discipline of self-care and rest if your family is practicing it too! Children need self-care as much as we adults do! Practicing meditation, yoga, or even sitting in a swing are great to do with the littles!
6. Live within your means. I know! Easier said than done. But if it doesn’t bring you any joy, it doesn’t belong! ” The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it” – Henry David Thoreau. He was absolutely right!
I know that we are all ready for quarantine to end. We are almost there but until then consider this a time to get back to being intentional, to reset, and rest because we deserve it! My self-care includes some green tea in the morning to capture some stillness before the day starts! Let me know what you are doing to incorporate some much-needed self-care!
Love,
[…] Self-care is so important! Take a moment to reflect on your self-care practices. To help make self-care a consistent part of your everyday life, check out this blog post here for more ideas on self-care activities that you can add to your routine today! […]