Self Care

Oh my! Self care is SO important! I am realizing this more and more as I journey through motherhood. Lately I have just been so exhausted and losing myself a bit. By that I mean it’s easy to fall into the role of Mother and forget that you are also, YOU! It’s important to do things for yourself. You cannot continually give to others without giving to yourself as well. (Something all mamas need to remember!) Self care comes in many different forms; mental, emotional, physical, nutritional, spiritual, etc., yet they are all connected. Here’s a few ways I practice self care.

• Deep Breaths. As simple as it sounds, just reconnecting to your breath can reset your outlook. Go ahead, take a deep breath right now… Feels wonderful, doesn’t it?! I try to reconnect with my breath as often as I can, and it is especially helpful when I find myself getting stressed out. (Added bonus: My daughter has seen me slow down and take a deep breath so many times, she is starting to do it herself! So rewarding to see your young child letting go of tantrums and calming themselves instead!)
• Dancing! Some days I don’t feel like doing anything, but that’s not an option. So to get myself going, I turn up the tunes and dance! It sounds silly, but it totally works for me. I commit to at least three songs, and by the end, I feel so much better, physically, emotionally and mentally.
• Eating whole foods and drinking lots of water. Have you ever made it to lunchtime and realized you never ate breakfast? Or made it to the end of the day and realized you have not had nearly enough water? This was me not too long ago. (Heck! This is still me sometimes!) I have come to realize how important eating the right foods and drinking enough water really is. Through the journey of pregnancy, breastfeeding, breastfeeding while pregnant, and now tandem nursing, this has definitely become an important part of my self care regimen. And it’s only evolving and getting better! (I’ll do another post on my nutrition journey soon. It’s getting pretty exciting!)
• Yoga and meditation. I love doing yoga. Having kids at home has majorly changed my practice routine though. I do enjoy doing yoga with them, but miss that time to myself. For a while I have stopped practicing, but know that I need to get back to it because I always feel better after a yoga session. Same with meditation. I need to carve out that time for myself again. These forms of self care balance me. My mind, body and soul thank me for it every time!
• Getting outside. Ahhh…I absolutely LOVE being outside. Connecting with nature makes my soul lighter. When I go outside and really focus on the beauty, I feel more connected with the universe, myself and others. Being outside is so beneficial, especially in this technological world. Unplugging rocks!
• Thinking of one thing I accomplished that day. This one sort of falls into the categories of self love and self care. But when I have been depressed or feeling down about myself, this is one simple task has helped me get through it. As l lay down in bed for the night, before I go to sleep, I think of one thing I accomplished that day. Feel good about it. Do not diminish it. Do not judge myself on what I did not accomplish. Simply feel good about one thing I accomplished. It can be big or small, doesn’t matter. A lot of times we are so hard on ourselves and just need to remember we are not perfect (whatever that is!). Let go of self criticism and end your day with positive self appreciation instead.

Self care not only benefits you, but when you are happy, healthy, nourished and balanced, it radiates from you! Take care of yourself! Practice some self care today. Make it a habit. If you can’t think of anything, take some of mine. I’m happy to share!