How Do You Take Care Of Yourself?

I found this article online today and knew I had to share it!  The Problem With The Wine and Bubble Bath Self Care 

We NEED to take care of ourselves in a big way all the time. We can’t wait til we are burnt out or break down. We can’t wait til we have health problems to start taking care of our health.

As Rea Frey writes – “if you really want to change your life, it might be time to switch up your self-care strategy.”

Her suggestions?

Say no without guilt. (does that make you squeamish?)

Eat better. (we KNOW this but if you’re like me you make excuses for not doing it – I ate peanut butter and cookie dough for dinner last night. NOT how you EAT BETTER or practice self care. OK, maybe in a weird way I can make myself believe cookie dough for dinner IS the best form of self care). In all seriousness, eating well is important in so many ways and you should allow room for treats – even the cookie dough – but every time you reach for food ask yourself  “Is this going to help my body or harm it?” and see how that changes your perspective.

Work less.  (she says it like it’s EASY and we have a choice in the matter.  She suggests finding the balance. Disconnecting from work – that means not checking your phone every five seconds)

Have discipline. (Whether it’s drinking more water, exercising, turning off the TV, or ignoring all those social media notifications. )

Delay gratification. (This one is a challenge for me.  We live in an instant gratification world – we want something, we get it. Hello scrapbook stickers! Ha! But it’s suggested next time you have the urge to buy something, take a minute to ask if it’s really helping you to give in. Hmmmm – that could change things big time).

So maybe it’s time to re-think your self care. It’s more than a bubble bath and a bar of chocolate. It’s about taking care of yourself in so many ways.

To be honest – my latest method of self care is something I swore I would never do. I go to Pound Class. On Thursdays. At The Studio here in Sarnia (Colbourne Street). Drumsticks. Music. Working out to the beat. I could have the very worst day/week and after a few minutes in that class I feel more connected to more true self than before I stepped in the door. I work through all the emotions. I work through stress and frustration and anxiety. All the worries, all my cares – gone.  And I have figured out the more stressed and anxious and emotional I am going into class the bigger the blisters when I leave. LOL.

I’m still working on breaking a stick. That will really prove I’m taking care of myself. Right? Ha.

Find YOUR form of self care.  Don’t feel you have to do what others tell you to do. Your method of loving on yourself might be different from mine.

I’ve learned that sitting in the car after work just a little bit longer helps after a long work day.  Taking myself out for coffee. Buying myself flowers or treating myself to a new hair cut.  Going to bed early and enjoying a good book. And recently I have started journalling again which has been so helpful in working through all kinds of struggles and emotions.

Find what works for you and do it. No excuses.

Categorised in: Afternoons

This post was written by Carrie Buchanan