It used to be difficult for me to take care of myself.
Sure, I brushed my teeth and dressed nicely. But sometimes, in the rush of taking care of everyone else or getting busy with other things, I put my self care on the back burner.
I never did it intentionally; it usually resulted from what I thought was a lack of time. If my boss needed me to stay late to do a project and I had a haircut that night, I’d postpone the haircut; at that time in my life, I couldn’t possibly think of telling my boss no.
Another time, my daughter got sick and I cancelled my dentist appointment so I could take care of her.
On other occasions, when extra help was needed at home, work or with my family, I was often the first to volunteer – giving up time for myself in the process. Eventually when I got depleted enough, I realized one of the best things I can do for others is take care of myself first. Not in a selfish way, but in a loving, self-caring way. How do I know if I’m taking care of myself? I can ask myself these questions every day:
1. Am I taking time to eat healthy and drink enough water every day?
2. Am I getting physical exercise every day?
3. Do I take time for myself every day to meditate and de-stress?
4. Am I up to date on my doctor and dental check-ups?
5. Do I do something I enjoy – just for fun – every day?
6. Do I take time to appreciate myself and my strengths every day?
7. Do I practice gratitude every day?
When I started practicing these 7 ways of loving self care on a daily basis, my life started to transform. I am hardly ever sick today because I take such good care of myself. My body, mind and spirit thrive. And my relationships thrive, too. When I am sick, I know today to stop and rest. During times of stress, I double my self care efforts. And the results are miraculous.
Do you take care of yourself every day? What is your favorite self care activity? Scroll down below and leave me a comment. I’ll read and respond to every one.
lauren
at (10 years ago)I’ve been hydrating myself triple the amount!