Self-care has become a hot topic these day, as people search for a way to keep grounded in what feels like crazy times.
Self-care, as in the act of taking small moments for yourself, in order to uplift, centre and increase energy, is not the selfish act it’s sometimes made out to be.
I had a big watershed moment last summer when I realised that I was doing too much and not taking care of myself enough. It was then I understood how important rest and a sense of peace are to my own self-love, self-care and ability to love others.
For parents especially, we’re guilty of neglecting our own self-care in service to our families, children and loved ones. I’m sure many of you can think of specific moments where you sacrificed something for yourself in order to give to your children, whether it be time, food or emotional energy. That’s par for the game as a parent.
But in order to keep doing that, we need to make sure we keep our own ‘cups’ full. That is, we make sure we are rested enough, nourished enough, energised enough and calm enough to keep giving.
That’s where self-care comes in. And to be clear, this has different manifestations for different people. For some people, self-care is being able to have 20 minutes of extra time in bed in the morning, for others, it could making sure that they can get to their spin class at lunchtime. It could be taking a long bath in the evening or it could be noodling away at a piece of woodworking. It could simply be making the time to feed yourself nourishing food at every meal and eating it in a mindful way.
My self-care routine has evolved over the last few years. Now, for me, it means:
- Being able to do some yoga (even if it’s just 10 minutes with my son jumping through my legs during downward dog) every day
- Lighting my favourite Daylesford candle and enjoying the smell and the flame
- Doing my deep breathing exercises when I feel overwhelmed
- Having a little smooch with my husband
- Having a big belly laugh with my son
- Making meals from scratch at home and making sure there’s always something good to eat in the fridge
What do you do for self-care? Has your routine evolved or changed depending on what’s going on in your life?
This is something I need do, now. Thanks for the reminder!
Thanks for stopping by!
I could not agree more!!! Taking time for yourself is SO important.
And it’s so important not to feel any guilt about this either!
I love your post so much! Self care is so important. I truly believe that we take better care of our families when we take care of ourselves. Sometimes five minutes a day is enough to make a big difference in your life! Thanks for sharing!
Yes – Even five minutes can make a huge difference! Thanks for stopping by!