Have you ever heard the adage…you can’t pour from an empty vessel? If you’ve ever been my client, you have because that’s a mantra I use often. If you don’t care for yourself, how on earth are you going to continue to care for others? Your reserves are finite and if you don’t nourish yourself physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, you will deplete your reserves and no one will benefit from that.
Self care is needed to replenish your energy. It isn’t selfish or self indulgent and isn’t pampering, although a little pampering never hurt anyone. It’s about replacing what is depleted to continue on with your day, your week or just the next hour.
So how does one practice self care? I know it isn’t always easy to put yourself first but you really need to do so. Here are some thoughts on how you can accomplish that.
- Stop being a perfectionist – Sometimes ‘good enough’ is good enough. You don’t have to make or do everything exactly perfectly. It’s okay if your kids pick out their own clothes and they don’t match. Let them express themselves. Sometimes eating breakfast for dinner is okay too if you just can’t get it together to cook one night.
- Re-evaluate your priorities – Rather than making everything a priority, look at what needs to be done and do what is important and time sensitive first. Step back and realize that even if some things fall through the cracks, no one will die and nothing bad will happen. Practice this exercise with everything. If you are spending time on things for which the result will have no discernible impact on your or anyone else’s well-being, perhaps it can fall off the list, at least for now.
- Manage your diet – Eat to nourish yourself. You really are what you eat so make sure you put the right foods into your body to give you the energy and clarity of mind to get through your day and your ‘to do’ list. Make easy healthy food choices like fruit instead of candy, add greens to a smoothie, use the convenience of pre-cut veggies from the produce department if time is an issue. Take baby steps to change your diet and it won’t be so drastic. Replace one less than nourishing food with one that will support your good health every couple of days.
- Exercise in short increments – If you feel like you don’t have time to exercise for an extended amount of time, do it in ten minute increments. You can also use other tricks to get exercise in like taking the stairs, parking farther away from your destination, walking the long way to get where you need to get. Take stretch breaks throughout the day to get your blood and lymphatic fluids flowing. Take a quick walk at lunchtime, preferably outside so you can clear your head and refresh your energy.
- Get a massage – Yes, I know a massage feels self indulgent but you deserve it and are so worth it. Massage has many health benefits like releasing tension built up in your muscles. If there is a lot of stress and you get real release, don’t be surprised if a little emotion comes with that. Let it happen. You need the release.
- Take a warm bath – Make it almost ceremonial. Use bath salts and essential oils, turn down the lights, light some candles, play some soft music and take a cup of warm herbal tea or a glass of wine in with you and just immerse yourself in its deliciousness.
- Communicate your own needs – You are allowed to have your needs expressed and met. We are not here to be doormats. If you are not getting your needs met, how are you going to meet others’ needs? Make sure you are taken care of as much as you take care of everyone else.
There are many other ways to practice self care and I often recommend them to my clients. Make sure you take care of you and that others respect your need to do so. It will make a happier life for everyone concerned.
ICYMI…How about a sugar detox? I don’t have a fancy name for this program but I can tell you a little about it. We’ll begin on September 17th and end October 16th using Zoom. Each session will consist of a short presentation by me, followed by Q&A, discussion of challenges and celebration of wins.
If you want to get your energy back, lose a few pounds and generally feel better, this is the place for you. I’ll share some of the strategies I used to eliminate sugar from my life and to get back on track in my own weight loss journey.
Won’t it be nice to eliminate cravings, not feel that “hangry” feeling when your blood sugar drops, and to be able to control what you’re eating?
Click here to schedule a quick chat with me so we can decide if this is a good program for you. You’ll be glad you did.
As a health coach, I work with women who are facing serious health challenges like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes or who have been diagnosed as having a precursor to a serious health issue such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. I help them make food and lifestyle changes so they can get healthy, live longer and enjoy a fuller, happier, more energetic life. If you would like to have a free consultation about the health challenges you have and the improvements you would like to see in your health, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.
