5 Powerful Ways to Practice Self-Care
1. Get Your ZZZ’s – Sleep is much more important to well being than many of us realize. Do you notice when you haven’t slept well you feel a bit ‘nutty’? Well, you ARE. That’s why sleep deprivation is used as a torture tactic…makes sense doesn’t it?! Aim for at least 8 hours of sleep or more per night. Sleeping at least 8 hours a night will help you lose unwanted weight, feel energized, reduce your stress level, look younger, live longer, and be easier to be around!
Self-Care Practice – begin going to bed 15 minutes earlier than usual, until you reach your 8 hours per night goal.
2. Shake That Body – Exercise is the queen bee. Getting fit will improve your health and help you fabulous every single day! And as an added bonus, exercise is also incredibly beneficial for your emotional and mental health. A few benefits include – more energy, fat loss, a better sex life, confidence, lowers stress levels, and on and on. Isn’t that amazing? Make sure your workouts are fun and effective, enlisting the help from an expert is important.
Self-Care Practice – do something you enjoy and be consistent. It must fit into your lifestyle for you to stick with it. Whether it’s 3 times per week for 30 minutes, or 5 times per week for 45 minutes – start where you are and keep moving towards your goal.
3. Think Nourishment – Food is medicine, as the saying goes. And eating healthy, well balanced meals and snacks will keep you feeling energized and focused while you’re busy making decisions about your wedding! You may think that eating healthy is time consuming or really expensive, but I can tell you it isn’t. It’s just takes a bit of preparation and having the right things in your fridge and cupboards. Keep your kitchen stocked with plenty of fresh vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, healthy fats, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, and whole grains. Keep away from too much sugar and processed foods, think WHOLE foods, and of course, drink plenty of water.
Self-Care Practice – choose ONE of your food challenges and start there. Example, if you don’t eat enough vegetables, your goal could be to eat a salad with lunch for the next 7 days. Once that becomes a habit and easy to do, then you can move on to your next goal.
4. Release Stress – Stress is an ‘invisible’ health problem which means sometimes we don’t acknowledge it or find ways to remedy it. But if you follow the 4 other tips in this article, your stress level will automatically drop. To reduce your stress level instantly, take 2-5 deep breaths, this will cause an immediate relaxation response. It’s that simple. Another wonderful stress reducer is to meditate for as little as 2-5 minutes per day. Meditation can be done anywhere, just sit still and take some nice deep breaths.
Self-Care Practice – take 5 deep breaths when you feel anxious or stressed throughout the day.
5. Reset Your Mindset – Think positive! Your reality is 100% determined by your thoughts, so think great thoughts, it’s your mind and your choice. See and feel the experiences you want to have happen.
For example – You’re a bit shy and you’re feeling nervous about a presentation you need to give at your next office meeting (what if they think my ideas are crap, what if I forget everything I want to say). To help you through this situation, close your eyes, then see and FEEL yourself getting up from your chair, ready to begin your presentation with everyone staring at you, take a moment, take a breath, smile at everyone, and see yourself give the ‘presentation of a lifetime’ and as you conclude everyone is excited and thrilled and clapping, all for you! You laugh with delight and graciously accept their praise, knowing in your heart you would nail it;)
Nice thought isn’t it?
That is just ONE example of using your mind to get what you want, and it works, I’ve done it many times in my own life. Apply it to ANY situation that you’re currently worrying about or feeling anxious towards.
Self-Care Practice – Think and FEEL wonderful thoughts for the next 24 hours and see how it makes you feel. Statements such as “I look so damn good in this outfit!”. What does looking good in your outfit FEEL like? FEEL that.
Which practice are your going to start with?
Live Inspired,
Sonja
