7 Self Care tips to practice daily
“I’m too busy.” “I’ll do it tomorrow.” “Ugh, what’s wrong with me?”There’s nothing wrong with you other than the excuses you make to side step those mini yet important daily self care details that often get neglected because you are ‘too busy” making an excuse or just plain forgetting!
It’s important to invest in yourself and take the time to step back and breathe a bit. When you do this, you create a sense of self awareness and a clearer mind
Well, I’m here to help. Did you know, there IS time in every day for those simple yet extremely crucial daily tasks that will enhance your well being and quality of life. If you start with these seven simple solutions and create a habit of taking care of yourself, then you will greatly improve the state of your mind, body, and soul.
Here you will learn about these seven simple steps:
Morning Mindfulness
Hydration
Moving your body
Healthy Eating
Digital Detox
Practicing Gratitude
Sleep
Tired of feeling less than great about you? Follow this routine and create those habits that just become part of your daily routine without question.
Once upon a time, I neglected myself and my well being. I felt tired and sluggish all the time. I was 30 pounds heavier than I ever wanted to be. While smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol, I had no energy to get up and, well, function really. My mental health spiraled downward and caring for myself became less of a priority.
I still had to function though. I was in the process of rebuilding my life from the ground up with two precious kids. I was able to find ways and make excuses for the behaviors I was displaying, but in the end, it was all my choice. I chose to continue in the direction I was headed and it was not a bright one.
While neglecting myself, the level of care I was giving to my kids and loved ones became mediocre or less than acceptable and life started handing some significant wake up calls.
When life starts handing you these wake up calls, you really should answer and not ignore them. I received a few of these calls and had enough of myself. I quietly decided it was time to flip it around and get back to "me.”
It’s hard to really know where to begin when you basically have to start all over. So, I looked in the mirror, deep within myself, ditched the smokes and the booze, grabbed the yoga ball and started a workout. I’ve always been one to stay in shape and looking at myself so “out of shape” in so many ways, I felt utterly disgusted with how far I’d let it go.
Once I started seeing some results from getting back to a good workout routine, my self confidence started growing back. This made me want to do better, so I started looking for little ways to continue with such a big improvement. Once I found ways to incorporate self-care into my daily routine, I was able to build a solid daily habit that has affected my mind, body, soul, and all over well-being.
If, you too, are finding that you need a change or a boost, follow a Daily Self Care simple routine and alter your life for the better! Here’s my secret:
MORNING MINDFULNESS:
Get comfortable on a meditation cushion or mat, set your ambiance and start your day with 5-10 minutes of deep breathing or meditation to improve mental and physical health, increase your awareness, reduce stress, and create a relaxed mind. While you are meditating and breathing deeply, you can also recite some daily affirmations to yourself!
Need some help getting started? Grab some meditation cards or a visual meditation tool or even a smart tracker to kick start your journey to a zen life.
HYDRATION:
Oh the benefits of H2o! Drinking a glass of water first thing when you get up in the morning rehydrates your body after sleeping. It kick starts your metabolism which aids in weight loss if that is a goal you have. Your energy levels will increase by increasing your red blood cell count. Since your brain is made of fluid, drinking water will amp up your thinking. The appearance and feel of your hair, skin and nails will improve due to the rehydration. Water balances your lymph system to support a healthy immune system. The lubrication of water helps decrease joint pain. Headaches and back pain are often caused by dehydration, so, you guessed it, DRINK THE WATER! Start your day with hydration and you will be able to think, move, and feel better!
Boring ol’ water not cutting it for you? Jazz it up with hydration packets or hydration powder that contain electrolytes and essential minerals. It can taste good while effectively hydrating you!
MOVE YOUR BODY:
Get yourself active! Just 30 minutes a day will do the trick. Go for a walk in nature. Stretch it out with some yoga. Find a good workout routine that suits you and your needs. I don’t care what it is, just get out there and do it. You’ll feel better. I promise.
Thirty minutes of activity a day has significant benefits to the health of your heart, bones, and muscles. Exercising reduces risk of heart disease and stroke while lowering blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglycerides. It improves the efficiency of your heart and lungs causing a boost in energy. Build muscle and bone strength and endurance while losing weight. Improve your mood, cognition, memory, and sleep while feeling more and more confident in yourself. This all can help reduce that stress level.
An exercise ball is a great, well-rounded way, to get active and fit. You can workout every part of your body with different exercises on the right size ball. Stretching it out with Slow Burn yoga is one of my favorites. Some cute workout clothing always helps me get jazzed up!
HEALTHY EATING:
Balance in your diet is so important. By balance, I mean what’s right for you. Find a meal plan or foods that are what your body specifically needs. Cut back on the processed foods and sugar and add in more fruits and veggies! Consider your portion sizes while limiting the salt and saturated fats. Prepare your food at home where you can control what you eat and how you prepare it.
Healthy eating means many great benefits to you. It improves your physical health by managing weight control, promoting stronger bones and teeth, and maintaining the health of your heart, digestive system, brain, joints and eyes.
I love a good healthy eating cook book! Find some healthy snacks that satisfy your taste buds or even get on the meal prep planning guide with these wonderful meal prep containers!
Digital Detox:
Take a break from the screens. No really, do it! We live in a technological world and it’s easy to get caught up in the social media posts and go down that long rabbit hole of clicking and searching until, oh no, the whole day has gone and nothing has gotten done.
The benefits of detoxing from the digitals go hand in hand with everything else we’ve talked about. You will improve your sleep and mental health for one thing. You will become better focused and increase your creativity resulting in more productivity. Detoxing gives you more time for hobbies and rekindle an old interest or start something new. Most importantly, this can improve your relationships with your loved ones. Putting down the phone for some family time recreates those memories and bonds we all need and love.
So, cozy up with a good book and cup of coffee or tea, journal your thoughts. Play a board game with your family. Get out and enjoy nature. Go for a walk or hike. Clear your mind. Reconnect with the earth and you will feel incredible.
Practice Gratitude:
Often times we get caught up in all the negativity in the world. Whether it be self inflicted negativity or outsider, it’s there and we all need to stop, take a deep breath and be grateful.
Practicing gratitude is a way to focusing on the positive points in your life and improves your overall health and happiness. Who doesn’t want that? It can start with journaling your thoughts. Write down what you are grateful for including loved ones, a memory, an event, your life.
Express gratitude towards someone you appreciate. Let them know how you feel. You never know, it may be just the thing they need to hear.
Be kind by doing a favor for a friend or loved one, or just leave them a nice note expressing your gratitude for them.
Learn from others that you see in a positive light. Watch how they practice gratitude and challenge yourself to see the positive in difficult situations where it’s easy to get sucked into the darkness of negativity.
SLEEP:
Sleep. What is that? All too often we sacrifice sleep to accomplish whatever it may be that needs to be done in the day. In reality, what are you really doing to yourself and your body if you’re not fulfilling its rest needs. If you continually miss out on several hours of sleep a night, your body will eventually get exhausted causing you to just shut down. This is your bodies way of saying “Get some rest!”
Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep a night. Your body needs this time reduce mental and physical activity and recharge. Getting plenty of rest can aid with creating new memories and learning abilities. It can help with your day to day social interactions and being aware of others and their emotions. Let’s also mention safety. Plenty of restful sleep can help prevent injuries and you’re more likely to stay awake while driving!
Lack of sleep can cause fatigue, lack of concentration, mood changes, memory issues, and it increases risk for health problems. Who wants any of that? Do yourself a favor. Do your body a favor. Get that good rest daily!
Have some troubles getting to sleep? It’s okay to need a little help. Try out some of these:
All seven of these tips have some great commonality. By following these seven daily self care routines, you will greatly improve your mental and physical health while uplifting your mood and self confidence. You will find yourself less stressed and able to breathe deeper with purpose. You will love yourself more and, in turn, have the ability to extend that love to others. As a result, you will be overall, happy. You deserve to be happy! Everyone deserves to be happy. You have one life to live. Live it well!