Self-Care Saturday: Worry About Yourself
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Your life is busy. You wake up every morning with a to-do list that covers post-it notes, scraps of paper, and the app that promised to make you more organized. You make time to help meet the needs of your co-workers, family, and friends. Your life is busy. You are tired. The idea of taking time for yourself feels selfish. It feels silly. You are fine or you will be fine tomorrow. But then tomorrow comes and you are still tired and feeling resentful of the to-do list.
What would it feel like to put caring for yourself on the to-do list? Would it still feel selfish and silly? Or would it feel like a priority? The concept of self-care is not for you to be selfish, but for you to meet your needs. You have needs, I have needs, and that is okay. Ignoring your needs does not make you unselfish, instead it makes you tired. Meeting your needs makes you a stronger woman, mother, sister, co-worker, and friend.
My favorite image of self-care is when you are about to take off on an airplane and the flight attendant begins to talk about oxygen masks. “Parents, place the oxygen mask on yourself first before placing it securely over your child’s nose and mouth.” Parents have to do something that feels unnatural in an emergency. They have to save themselves first. If not, then how can they take care of those they love the most?
So this Saturday series will offer a variety of ways for you to put on your self-care “mask” so that you can take care of those you love the most. Here are three ideas to help you put self-care on your to-do list.
Get Some Sleep
Chances are you need more sleep. Again, I understand that life and the to-do lists keep you from sleeping more. Most adults need 7-8 hours of sleep every night. The hope is that you wake up in the morning feeling rested. Do you wake up feeling rested? Or do you wake up every day feeling just as tired as you did when you went to sleep? Self-care experiment number one: go to bed thirty minutes earlier for one week. The to-do list will be there tomorrow.
Drink More Water
Our bodies are made of 60% water. We need water to keep our bodies in check. Yes, carbonated beverages and sweet tea are delicious, but our bodies need more than that to work best. Let’s be real, water makes your skin look good. Try drinking more water. It is the cheapest self-care strategy out there.
Stop And Smell The Flowers
Did you know when you are feeling anxious or stressed that your sense of smell can help ground you? Different smells can help bring you back to the here and now. Focusing on a smell can reorient your brain back to the present. To take it one step further and practice deep breathing while smelling flowers. You can do this by taking a deep breath through your nose and then blowing slowly through your mouth like you are blowing out a cake full of candles. One way to connect with smells is by bringing in flowers into your home or office. In Nashville, Green Door Gourmet offers a weekly flower CSA, which means you receive an incredible bouquet of flowers from a local farm for 16 weeks. 16 weeks of nature’s best brightening your office or home. (This is not a paid promotion, but Green Door Gourmet is an incredible local business).
And maybe this little one understands self care better than all of us.
Thanks so much for stopping by. Come back next Saturday for more ideas on investing in you. Until then... “worry about yourself!”
If you are still feeling stuck, feel free to call me at 615-979-4168 for a free 15-minute phone consultation. I’d be happy to hear about what is happening and help direct you to the right person. If you are looking for help with self care, you can read more about how I can help here.
