How To Have A Self Care Routine That WORKS
Are you feeling run down? Maybe “take better care of myself” was on your to do list from last year, and you still haven’t quite gotten around to it. Self care is a major topic these days, and often it is poorly explained. I think there is a tendency to conceptualize self care as sitting in a bubble bath and eating chocolates while reading a book. And maybe that is self care for you. But self care is more than just a spa day.
Self care is a broad term that encompasses just about anything you to do be good to yourself. It is about being as kind to yourself as you would be to others. Practicing self care allows you to connect with yourself, replenish your resources, and prevent yourself from feeling low or run down.
Developing a consistent self care routine is one of the best ways to keep yourself from running on empty. The beauty of a self care routine is that it allows us to incorporate self care into our daily lives, rather than viewing taking care of ourselves as a special treat or frivolous luxury.
Here are my top 5 tips for developing a self care routine that resonates with you.
1. Find YOUR self care
What does self care mean to you? Does it mean meeting up with friends? Taking a walk after work? Maybe reading more? The point is that self care can come in any shape, size, or configuration. The first step in developing a self care routine is to figure out what self care means to you and your life. Self care is inherently personal - no one will define it the same way. Start by asking yourself “what nourishes my soul?” and go forward from there.
2. Choose the things that you love
Your heart knows no difference between yoga, badminton, or learning a language. It only knows perceived joy and how good you feel during and of course afterwards! If you’re doing something you love, you’re more likely to stick with it because of the happiness it brings you. Your self care routine will therefore become part of who you are, rather than something you wish you could do more of.
3. Represent your best self
Your body and mind becomes their functions, or as Aristotle would say ”We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence is not an act, but a habit.” Do the activities and choose the mindset you that you feel represent your best self.
If you do activities and have a mindset that promote self care you’ll become better at taking good care of yourself. If you meditate and cultivate a mindfulness practice, it will become easier to sit in uninterrupted stillness. If you drink beer and watch sports all day, you’ll become a better beer drinker and sports watcher. It’s all about what you invest your energy in doing.
4. Start today. I mean, like right now
Start a self-care routine today, don’t wait until tomorrow, and please don’t wait until next Monday. You will never be ready and you will never have more time in your life than you do right now.
5. Don’t compare yourself to others.
It doesn’t matter what fantastic photos someone posts on social media, or how much more time/energy/money someone else seems to have. This isn’t a competition and sure as heck isn’t a race. All that matters is that you are working to take good care of you. Don’t worry about other people. Focus on giving your 100% effort towards your self care, whatever that looks like.
P.S. - If you need help, motivation, accountability and want to be surrounded either in-person or online with a positive, like-minded community, I know just the PLACE
