In this post I outline the benefits of a daily practice of self care. I share ideas on different self care practices and how to stay motivated. Self care is paramount to health and wellbeing. However, it is an area we usually drop first when times are busy. Finding a self care practice that you enjoy is key. I have written this from my experience as a qualified naturopath and intuitive healer.
Self Care Daily Practice
There are so many benefits for starting a daily practice. Endless benefits in fact! I believe self care all comes down to our relationship with ourselves. In order to truly be present and show up in the world, we have to be grounded and centred.
Self care daily practices are the best method to keep ourselves grounded and centred. Nobody else can do that for us directly. Therefore, it is essential to take the time on a daily basis to align our mind, body and spirit with our heart centre.
When we connect with our heart centre, we connect with our purpose. To fill our own cup first is to nourish ourselves so we can show up in the world. Being able to offer our full amazing self at each moment is beautiful! Being present for ourselves and our offerings is what life is all about.
This is why daily self care is vital. Without a daily practice of self care, we can easily lose focus and direction. Our energy becomes scattered, we give too much of ourselves away. We start to feel our life force drain and feel cranky or upset.
Worst of all, when we stumble or hit a few road blocks we easily feel discouraged. Life becomes hard and a not so joyful space to be. It’s a bit like going on a road trip, but forgetting to fill up the car with gas. We won’t get far in life without self-care!
Nourishing Ourselves
How do you best relax? For me, I love taking a long walk outside with my dog. When I walk for an hour I feel like I’m able to process my thoughts and ‘dump’ out the negativity.
My head clears and by the end of my walk I feel refreshed and ready for life again. I can be reminded of the beauty of life when I witness nature on my walks. I feel the fresh air cleansing my system. The is sunlight shining and the birds are chirping, even in winter this is uplifting!
Self-Care Exercise
If you struggle to find what works best for you try this exercise:
Sitting in a quiet place, give yourself 5-10 minutes to tune out. Switch off the phone and computer or any other devices and screens.
Grab a pen and paper and write your name in the centre. Add key descriptive words that express your positive traits: happy, open, fun, relaxed, joyful are some examples. Really connect with those feelings and feel your heart open and joyful.
Now around your name, draw at least 4 circles with arrows pointing from the circles into the centre. Keeping those high vibes in place, consider what activities activate your happiness.
Inside each circle, write one activity you know is guaranteed to get you feeling happy, open or joyful. For me one circle would be nature walks. Another would be gardening. Another might be spending time with loved ones, and so on.
Add as many circles with activities you need. Some more ideas might include getting a massage, applying a face mask, taking a bath, or going shopping for a new outfit.
It will look different for everyone, but the point is you are doing this exercise to remind yourself what makes you happy. When you see all the wonderful things you know that you love to do, it reminds you that you are worth taking care of.
Self-Care Vision Board
You might even want to create a vision board with pictures of all the fun hobbies you enjoy. Especially do this if you find you don’t have time for self-care!
A vision board of your self-care joy is a constant reminder to you to let loose and have fun. It’s interesting how life will arrange opportunities for you to enjoy self-care when we are thinking of it more often.
Display it in an area like your work desk where you will see it the most often. When you get a free minute, take the time to sink into the feeling of bliss you get from your chosen self-care activities.
The key to manifesting your vision board is to really feel it from the heart.
Self-Care – Short and Sweet
Self-care doesn’t need to be a big lengthy exercise. You’re better off topping up your cup with small moments throughout the day and week.
Rather than waiting to feel upset and tired to begin your self-care, use self-care to prevent bad moods in the first place.
Being Present
My favourite way to integrate self care into my daily life is by being present and tuning into my awareness. Allow me to explain further.
I know that as a mother and business owner, I have a busy schedule at times. I also know that self-care is vital for me to show up in the world for my clients and my family. However, the time crunch can really play on my mind with ‘allowing’ myself time alone.
So my trick to overcoming this hurdle is to be present. If I am choosing work, I fully engage in work with my awareness. When I choose self-care, I fully immerse myself in the experience.
No more feeling like a split personality with my mind elsewhere than the task at hand!
Is this a familiar feeling for you? It’s quite common for mothers or parents to have ‘guilt’ for having alone time. It’s okay to now release that guilt because you deserve to have time for yourself.
Attitude of Gratitude
Self-care is all about appreciation for yourself. Even if you only have a small window of time for a wonderful activity, you can still love yourself at each moment during the day.
Integrate your self-care and self-love into each moment through gratitude. When you do your morning routine, sink into the enjoyment of the experience! Thank yourself for taking the time to do those small things that you appreciate.
Slowly over time, your self-care bank account begins to grow and accumulates good vibes. In time, this begins to overflow into abundance in all areas of your life. For example, better working relationships, happier family, relaxed energy at home and so on.
Remember, self-care is about loving yourself so you can love the journey of life.
Affirmations for Self-Care
Affirmations are a beautiful way to speak your self-care good vibes into reality. They help ground your self-care practice and solidify the effort you are making for yourself.
Try these affirmations; you can speak them out loud in front of a mirror or write them down in a journal.
- I love myself and I am worthy of time alone to recharge.
- The time I take for myself is loving and free from any guilt.
- I feel incredible, recharged and ready for life when I take the time to care for myself.
Summary – Benefits of Self-Care
Self-care is an ongoing process. The more we put into ourselves, the more fulfilment and joy we will get out of life. The benefits really are endless, if we are centred and happy, life becomes easier in all respects.
I really encourage you to take the time for yourself today in the pockets of time you have available. You won’t regret it!
If you are interested in learning more about my work as an intuitive healer, visit my consultations page. I offer intuitive guidance tarot readings and reiki healing to clients worldwide.
For New Zealand based clients, I also offer naturopath and herbalist consultations. Visit my booking page to see my range of services.
Have a wonderful time, until next time.
Love and light,
Natasha xx