I can’t tell you how crucial self-care is. For our health, our body, soul and mind! Nothing can give us more energy than a moment of taking care of ourself, doing what we need and what we love.
Boosting our energy helps us to live in a healthy and balanced way, in order to create positive energy throughout our lives. And it allows us to unleash our personal potential and to fully engage in things that are the most important to us. You need it, and you deserve it. And this is what makes us enjoy our usual moments.
Last week, i was so over worked and had reached a state of brain fog. i suddenly couldn’t concentrate, hated the situation i was in, was unsure if i should be happy that school was over (& that distance learning was now a thing of the past) or if i should be worried thinking of how i was going to keep the boys entertained. And in this negative state of mind is when i realized that I had ignored myself for a bit and that i needed to reset & that it needed to begin with me right now. And the first thing i did in that moment was to take a step back & took a much needed break from social media.
There are certain self-care habits I have developed over the years that have helped me to overcome my mental health struggles, and keep me feeling like myself. These habits fuel my good days, while keeping me from sinking too low on my bad days. I have come to the realisation that I must prioritise taking care of myself every day, otherwise I just can’t function properly. I am a human being who has basic needs and routines. If those needs and routines aren’t met or kept, then things can quite quickly slip out of place, resulting in feeling mentally and physically drained. The longer I practice self-love and self-care, the better I get at dealing with the voice in my brain telling me I’m not good enough, and listening to my body’s needs.
Don’t allow yourself to slip into the mindset that you don’t need to be taken care of, that you’re not worth it, or that others need to be taken care of more than you do. Because the reality is, you do need to be taken care of, you are worth it, and you can’t look after others if you aren’t looking after yourself first. Just remember if your cup is not full , how can you fill someone else’s cup ? And let me be the first to tell you, sometimes these habits aren’t easy. Sometimes they’re absolutely the last thing you want to do. But it’s overcoming that voice in your head, and taking one step in the right direction that makes it easier and easier each time. So if you’re realising that you’re not taking care of yourself like you should, hopefully some of these habits and tips will give you ideas for what you can start doing each day to show yourself some well-deserved love.
- Sleep.
Sleep is one the biggest things that people neglect today, but it has one of the biggest impacts on how we feel, physically and mentally. I know that if I don’t get a good night’s sleep, I just can’t function properly the next day. I like to go to bed early and also wake up early. This keeps me sane & mentally happy.
2. Pampering my self
I absolutely love treating myself to an at home pamper session. I try to do this most days because it leaves me feeling fresh and ready for the day. As I don’t like wearing a lot of makeup, taking care of my skin, hair and body really is an act of self-love. I dry brush my skin & use oils after a bath regularly. I also remember to simply moisturize my body before going to sleep
3. Going Outside
Beginning the day with a quick walk is the way i get some fresh air & some sun too.
4. Eating Healthy
I am a mom of two kids. But one thing i never do is eat their left overs. I always make fresh healthy meals & this simple act can also be such an act of self love. As feeding your body healthy organic ingredients can have such a positive impact on your physical & mental health.
5. Breathing + Meditation
Practicing pranayama (mindful breathing) is also an act of self love. Meditation is honestly a game changer (i know you have heard this before). And it doesn’t have to be as intimidating as it sounds, it can just be a matter of taking the time to stop, and breathe. We spend so much of our day in go, go, go mode, that we often don’t stop for even 30 seconds of our day to just do nothing. Taking this time to stop, breathe, focus, and let go of your thoughts, ironically gives me more time in my day to be productive, thoughtful, energetic and capable.
I highly recommend Brain Tap (if you haven’t heard of this amaziiiing app & process before)
6. Taking Time away from the Phone
Spend some time away from social media, phone & the tab. This year I have been attempting to leave my phone out of the bedroom at night time. It has really improved my sleep, the amount of books I am reading, and time with my partner, and has helped me to switch off from the online world when I’m winding down. I do fall asleep a lot easier and earlier, get a more restful sleep, and therefore feel a lot better the next day. so I would highly recommend you give it a go.
7. Rose Quartz
You are worthy of love. Rose Quartz & other crystals are great to use that help increase self worth & self love. Setting intentions with them on an every day along with affirmations help.The soothing energy of Rose Quartz fosters empathy, reconciliation, and forgiveness of others. Lowering stress and tension in the heart, Rose Quartz clears out anger, jealousy, and resentment of others, and allows healing of heart issues and dis-ease associated with holding on to such negative emotions. Rose Quartz is a calming and reassuring crystal. It strengthens empathy, sensitivity, and aids in the acceptance of necessary change. It is also an excellent stone for comforting grief. It’s said to help you to let go of tension, resentment, and is one of the ways to help you let go of stress.
Self-care isn’t something that I will only do on the odd occasion, or when I’m feeling low. Self-care is something I push myself to practise every day as much as i can, to maintain good mental health. These habits have slowly helped me overcome many of my mental health problems, and the longer I practise them, the better I get at dealing with life. It has truly changed my outlook and how I experience the world. So if you’ve not been taking care of your body and mind, realise that you’re worth taking the time out of your day to prioritise self-care. In my personal experience, once I made self-love my number one, everything else started to fall into place.