Self care has taken the wellness scene by storm. It’s all about taking time to ensure your needs are met. Women tend to put everyone and everything above their own needs and wants. Embracing this movement can feel selfish, but it’s necessary to me in order to be the best Sarah that I can be for those around me and for my freaking self! I’m not avocating throwing your responsibilities to the wayside, in fact incorporating self care into your regular routine is easier than you think. Here are some quick ways to pay attention to your own wellness and take care of yourself.
take care of yourself emotionally:
be present with your morning coffee.
Or tea. Or smoothie. Or whatever you drink in the morning. This is your time to just be present. No distractions. This is your time to get your mind ready for the day. It can be as little as 5 minutes. Set your alarm a little earlier and take time to sit with yourself while you drink your morning drink. This should be before kids get up, or after they leave, to just BE. This isn’t an extra 5 minutes of instagram scrolling or catching up on The Skimm. You’ll be surprised how ready to take on the day you are when you’re not rushing to get everyone and everything ready for the day. Take 5 minutes to devote to getting your mind right for the day ahead.
take care of yourself socially:
engage with people who bring out your best self.
It’s important to spend time feeding our social nature. Moms, yall need to spend time with adults talking about adult things! Schedule, IN INK so you don’t cancel, time with your girlfriends. We all have people in our lives who are bright, positive, and genuinely happy the majority of the time. You probably already crave being around this type of person, and you should. It’s important to surround yourself with those who will encourage positivity. Those who encourage negative thoughts and engage in negative talk constantly bring us down. Our thoughts become our words and our words become our actions. I want to be a person that is approachable, friendly, and has an inner light. By surrounding myself with people who have those characteristics, I’m more likely to inhibit those behaviors myself. That doesn’t mean that we distance ourselves from friends in need, we all have down days. But be aware of those in your friend circle who are negative the majority of the time and decide if that’s who you want to spend your time with.
take care of yourself physically:
dedicate time to fitness.
If you’ve been following me long, you know I love fitness. I love working out and celebrating all that my body can do! Check out our blog for my favorite tabata workout! Just like positivity, our bodies crave movement. You already know the health benefits: better lab results, improved sleep (hallelujah), better cardiovascular health. The list literally doesn’t end. Just like coffee time, it’s important to take the time to make sure your body can perform at its very best. If you’re low on time, consider tabata style cardio or functional training. When we do functional training, think no machines just your body doing the movements with limited equipment, you train your body for all the standing, sitting, bending over, picking up, vacuuming, and lifestyle movements. Make your health just as much a priority as your favorite tv shows!
take care of yourself by saying NO.
This is a big one. It’s crucial that you practice saying no. We get caught up in constantly trying to please everyone, but you can’t. Did you read that? You cannot please everyone. If attending this dinner, happy hour, event, or whatever will take a toll on you or doesn’t fit your self-care needs, don’t be afraid to say no. And guess what? You don’t owe anyone an excuse either. I’ve really been working on the following reply, “I’m sorry, but not going to be able to attend ___.” That’s it. Simple right? Of course my friends get a real explanation, although real friends often don't need one.
Have any self-care ideas? Drop them in the comments below and let us know how you dedicate time to being your best self!