Where are these opportunities for Self-Care? They are everywhere. They are all around us every day. Broadening our definition of Self-Care can have a huge impact on how we practice it.
Opportunities for Self-Care abound, and if we are mindful of them and take them, we are spreading Self-Care to others. Taking care of our self IS taking care of others. If we prioritize our self, we are also prioritizing others. If we have children, a spouse, significant other, family member, or friend that we help out, and they are the priority, remember that we are not taking as good care of them as we could if we are not taking care of our self first.
We have to be our best self in order to give our best self to others.
What is getting in the way of you practicing Self-Care? Have you defined it? Have you tried strategies for practicing Self-Care? If so, what has worked and what has not?
Start by making a list of all of the Self-Care opportunities that come up in a day. Pick a day.
Which opportunities did you take advantage of?
Did you ignore some opportunities?
Did you have success?
Why do you think you prioritized some opportunities over others?
Why were you successful?
What got in your way?
Use this day as a snapshot to get a sense of how you are defining Self-Care and how you are acting on it.
The other day I started to keep track. My list was getting very long, but here are a handful of my Self-Care opportunities:
*staying in bed a little longer
*reading books in the chair with my son in the morning instead of rushing off to the class at my gym I wanted to attend
*sitting and finishing my coffee and banana even though my son was tugging at my sleeve for me to “play cars”
*going to the gym and having my son attend the Kid Zone (I didn’t get to the earlier class, but I still got to the gym!)
How many opportunities just in your morning alone?
These opportunities all came up within the first few hours of my day. I felt a sense of balance where my choices were good for me AND for my son. When I lingered with him upstairs reading books it was my Self-Care AND it was his request and need. I showed him he was loved and nurtured and listened to and I enjoyed that time immensely, knowing these days when he is little are numbered. When I sat and finished my breakfast, it was my Self-Care AND it modeled to him the importance of Self-Care and that I am not always at his disposal. Sometimes he has to learn to be patient and wait. I knew when I woke up and it was on the later side and I was extra tired and he wanted to read books, that I was not going to make it to my gym class. I was still able to get in a workout by going to the gym later, and my son still got to spend time in the Kid Zone with other children and adults.
You can find a sense of balance with your Self-Care if you are more mindful of your opportunities. You won’t be able to take all of your opportunities, but then again, if you continue to broaden your definition of what Self-Care is to you, you will be AMAZED at how well you can do each day! Get it down in writing and feel accomplished! That will motivate you to find more opportunities.
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If you are ready for some serious upgrade to your Self-Care and could use some more focused and specific support, contact me for a FREE 30 minute coaching consultation! https://calendly.com/ellenkamalasound
To your Self-Care, In rhythm,
Ellen
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