Top 5 Self-Care Tips
It’s important to consider self-care when your life becomes busy and/or stressful. Practicing self-care is one of the best ways to manage stress. Here are 5 self-care secrets to consider:
Self-Care Secret #1: If you want things to be different, you have to be willing to do things differently
Instead of trying another diet, making empty resolutions you won’t keep, or berating yourself for not being good enough, what would happen if you allowed yourself to try new or different things? What if instead of dieting, you were able to learn how to listen to your body, understand its cravings, and respond in a way that doesn’t involve polishing off a whole bag of cookies? The secret to getting different results is to try different things!
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and
expecting different results. – Albert Einstein
Self-Care Secret #2: Drink more water
All life on this planet needs water, and your body is no exception. Your brain is about 70% water, and your body is composed of about 60% water. Even mild dehydration can cause your cells to contract and leads to fatigue, headaches, and other physical ailments. A good rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight in ounces each and every day. Many of my clients discover that simply drinking more water helps with cravings, low energy, insomnia and even weight loss, so be sure to drink up!
Self-Care Secret #3: Find a way to move your body that moves your soul, too
Have you ever noticed how most people at the gym don’t look happy? When exercise feels like something we’re supposed to do instead of something we really want to do, it’s really easy to blow it off. What if you could find a workout that actually made you WANT to go to it? There are all kinds of different classes and workout programs these days. Or, head outside for a hike or a brisk walk – the fresh air and sunshine will have you feeling better, too.
Self-Care Secret #4: Create a nightly bedtime ritual
A nightly bedtime ritual can help you turn off your brain and get your body ready for sleep. If you’re prone to insomnia, be sure to leave your computer, tablet and smart phone OUTSIDE of the bedroom. Your bedroom should be a peaceful sanctuary that promotes rest. Before going to bed, take some time to transition out of your day and into a restful state. Perhaps you can read, meditate, or, my personal favorite, write in your gratitude journal. Practicing gratitude creates a peaceful state of mind and aids in falling, and staying, asleep.
Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. – Melody Beattie
Self-Care Secret #5: Find a way to make healthy living part of your journey, not your destination
Being healthy is not a destination; instead, it’s a way of life. In fact, the most surefire way to be healthy is to make healthy choices part of your life. I’ve found the best way to make lasting change when it comes to healthier living is to take it week by week. Each week, decide on ONE thing (and only one) that you can do to be healthier that week. Is it drinking more water, finding your perfect breakfast, or making sure that half your plate is full of vegetables? When you pick up one good habit each week (or drop one bad one), at the end of the year you’ve made 52 changes toward living a healthier life. Now that really adds up!
