"You can't pour from an empty cup.."
The expectations put on us as women is immeasurable. We bear the pressure to be great mothers. Great wives. Great daughters. Great employees. etc.
Women are natural givers.
But what happens when you start to run on empty?
In order to serve others around us we must take care of ourselves to perform at our best. This includes Mind. Body. and Soul.
Here in this post I wanted to share five small but intentional ways to take care of ourselves and practice self care and self love first
Start your day with a positive mantra
I like to start my day by opening my bible app and reciting what the word of the day is. But this can look different for everyone. You can recite an uplifting statement to yourself. Or read a devotional. You can start your day with a grateful heart.
If you are looking for a devotional here are some recommendations:
Lysa TerKeurst Embraced (I have this one and its one of my favorites)
Joyce Meyer Trusting God day by day
Sabrina Lawton Each day a gift
Make time for self care
When I schedule to do something for myself I noticed that it gets accomplished. This "appointment" eventually becomes a routine or a good habit. It can be as simple as "scheduling" a day where you give yourself a hair care day and enjoy applying a leave in conditioner and giving yourself a blow out. It could also be a face mask day and enjoying an extra 10-15 minutes of your morning routine. You can schedule Friday nights to be the day where you get to try a fun and delicious recipe that you have been wanting to try!
Self care enables us to re-fill our cup. Since becoming a mother self care has become a lot more necessary and important than prior to having Mateo. Almost my entire day revolves around thinking and caring for him and so it is nice to just have a sliver of my day to do something for me 💛
Sleep
Many experts have found that sleep deprivation can heighten anxiety levels. During these times of worry and anxiety sleep should be part of our self care routine. I know that during this time getting sleep is hard. But give yourself grace and start slowly in establishing a routine. Set your alarm one hour earlier to settle into bed. Other helpful ways to ensure you go to bed earlier are:
Don't take your laptop with you to bed. This will stimulate your mind to continue to think about work duties.
Try to not sit on your phone while in bed. I know this one can be hard but you will thank me later!
Try to make the mood cozy. I like to put on cozy pajamas. Drink a warm cup of tea beforehand. Wash my face and teeth right away and get under the covers. Coziness usually equals lights out!
Nourish your body
This is one of my top priorities when it comes to my self care. Food is so connected to everything from our minds to our bodies. It effects our energy. It effects our mood. It effects our productivity levels. It can be a determining factor on avoiding getting sick.
In my life I have taken better care of my body by getting down on my daily carb and sugar intake. I have noticed an increase in my productivity and focus since doing this. I have a sweet tooth and being on lock down it has heightened in the face of boredom and worry. So I make paleo low sugar dessert recipes that I find on Pinterest to satisfy my cravings.
I also incorporate lots of greens in my diet and healthy spices in my foods such as turmeric, ground cumin, cayenne pepper, ground ginger and more. I also try to cook with healthier oils such as avocado or coconut oil. Small changes are a big step into the right direction when looking to take care of your body.
Stay active
Physical activity can be good for both the body and the mind. Right now there are so many fitness trainers and fitness enthusiasts that are hosting IG Lives and/or posting workout ideas on social media. There is so much free content being put out right now.
Make some space in your house or apartment and take your mind off of the current world events and move your body. If you aren't into working out try yoga.
Yoga and meditation is another great way to move your body but also quiet the mind. Carrying around an infant all day I love either starting or ending my day with a quiet yoga session. My muscles could use a good stretch and self care.
Bonus Tip: take a break from the news!
This week I felt that everywhere I go, the news and social media are completely saturates with the coronavirus. It feels like 99% of it is all negative, gloomy and fear driven news reports. I do encourage that we all stay informed but I try to minimize my intake a day and it made a huge different on my mental health. I give myself one hour a day to look at news and stay informed of any announcements by the CDC or our governor here in NY and then that's it. Also make sure to read trusted news sources. Don't spend your time reading so and so's tweets or Facebook posts.
Like always chicas I hope this post was helpful to you!
Please share what your self care has looked like for the past few weeks!
Stay safe, wash your hands and stay home ♡
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