To develop a positive mindset around self-care, first you need to know why this is crucial. Otherwise, you won’t even try, nothing changes and you remain over-stressed and unhealthy.
The "why" is in what stress is doing to our bodies…..
It's become a common thing in every household, no matter what your situation is. We stress over time, money, work, relationships, even what we're going to eat or what workout we're going to do, and just about everything else.
It's almost undeniable that every one of us will have a stressful moment in our day, whether we're going to work, on a vacation, delays when traveling or making time to take a break to eat lunch. It doesn't matter how many times we've said, I'm not going to stress today...
We have become stressed to the point that most of us are living in "fight or flight" mode. And that's not the way it should be.
We weren't designed to be in complete worry every moment of time, ready to attack. Living in this fearful state consistently, is a leading cause of some major illnesses.
We know that chronic stress affects our mood and our sleep. But did you know that it affects our gut health causing poor gut and brain health? Chronic stress affects hormone balance, heart health, digestive health–I can keep going on and on, but do you get the picture?
You frequently ask yourself, “how can I manage my stress?” Right? But, let’s be honest, nothing really changes.
It’s not your fault though.
I know you have good intentions. Here are some question to help you get clarity on what you want so that you can move the needle in reducing your stress.
- What are “my “current symptoms of stress?
- What can “I” do about lowering it, not just managing it?
- How will this help me with my relationships, my health, my productivity, energy levels and sleep?
You might think that you are a superwoman and you can handle it all–and you just might be doing that now. How many years can you get away with relying on adrenaline and cortisol to help you adapt to everyday stressors?
Months, weeks and years go by and you get used to adapting, but your time is going to run out and you will feel the effects even more and your body will want to shut down. You might even normalize it to getting older.
That is not what I want for you. Your body shows up for you every day and it’s time to show up for it and some it some love to build your adaptive reserve back up.
Yes, stress is normal. But being chronically stressed is not and you should not be assuming your body will always show up for you.
Your symptoms and health complaints are signs and signals that something is not right and the body systems are getting out of balance.
I created this
Stress Quiz to help you identify known and unknown signs that will negatively impact your health if you don't connect the dots now.
Are you ready to say goodbye to stress and take some time for self-care? Don’t roll your eyes LOL! because I know you hear it all the time. There is a reason for that–because it is proven to help.
Society has led you to believe that it’s selfish for you to focus on yourself. When you are flying even the flight attendants tell you to put your mask on first so that you can show up and assist anyone that might need help. It’s just like that.
There are many ways to introduce self-care and it looks different for everyone. I suggest that you do you–meaning do what works for you. Consider things like breathing, meditation, yoga, journaling, castor oil packs, dry brushing, warm baths with epsom salts, saying NO more often (this is a POWERFUL one), and being intentional.
One of my favorite tools to integrate into all of my self-care routines is essential oils because they are powerful at changing your emotional state right away. There is something so magical about them. I will add them to my castor oil pack, use with dry brushing and in warm baths and lastly in my diffuser.
Failing to focus on your self-care creates the experience of negative effects of self-neglect. Yes I said it!
It can happen very easily to anyone when they have life elements like children, financial issues, feelings of inadequacy, or physical problems.
The time and energy that these various obstacles take to overcome can drain the energy of the most resilient people. Fortunately, if you are paying attention the mind and body alerts you to the fact that there’s some kind of deficiency.
Here are some signs and symptoms to keep an eye on.
You’re Irritable Often When you’re in need of more self-care, it’s a lot easier to be upset or disgruntled. This is because the toll of going without what you need is beginning to weigh on you, and the resentment that you feel has begun to slowly carve itself into other areas in life.
Being mindful of what is actually bothering you will help you to focus on correcting the problem. This can be especially true of long-term romantic relationships.
You’re Late Often The tendency to be late can be caused by two main things, which are: the need to squeeze more into an unreasonably short time, or the need to procrastinate because you never feel as if you rest completely.
One example of this can be seen in the habit of waking up with less time to get ready and trying to complete projects that required more time to plan. If you are the kind of person who listens to the alarm more than once, then you could be doing serious damage to your restfulness because you are waking up every few minutes instead of sleeping without interruption.
You Have Panic Attacks Stress can build up in the body and cause it to have strange symptoms. If unchecked they can manifest into more serious conditions over time. Panic attacks are often the result of stress carried for long periods without relief or any sort of outlet.
You Struggle to Relax How good at relaxing are you? If you have trouble relaxing, it could mean that you need to spend more time relaxing. It can also mean that you have a lot of open projects going on that don't seem to have an end. I have been able to relate to this one so you are not alone. When I recognize this, I try to designate a day where I take actual time to not have to do anything. Make it your time to sit without having to worry about completing anything. Trust me….it is amazing. And I dare you to turn off your technology such as your computer and your phone away for a non-tech day!
How You Take Time Out to Be by Yourself
Taking time out for yourself is one of the most important aspects of self-care. You need to find time in your day to relax, unwind, and recharge before anything else. Even if you’re busy with work or family life, giving yourself time to relax can help you fulfill your responsibilities more efficiently and without stress.
Here are some helpful tips for what to do during your short breaks:
Finding Time for Yourself
Whether you work in an office all day or are at home taking care of kids, it’s important to find at least 15 minutes to give yourself some breathing space. At work, you can wait for a lunch break to sneak to your car or a quiet space outside. At home, wait for your partner or kids to calm down before focusing on yourself. Once you have a few minutes without excessive distractions, you can then utilize the following tips to make the most of your time.
Focus on Your Breathing
When alone, focus on your breath and posture to completely relax yourself. Inhale slowly and deeply, and then exhale completely to feel at ease. This will help to calm your mind and body very quickly, and it can give you a lot of energy later in the day. This is a great time to add some drops of essential oils to the palm of your hand and inhale the aromatics. Ahhhhhhh……
A Short Activity
Even if you’re pressed for time, you can find ways to get in a quick exercise to stay healthy and calm your nerves. Choose to walk to the store instead of driving, or quietly jog in place if you can’t go outside. Stretch your body, shake out your limbs, and get your blood flowing so you can stay loose and calm throughout the day.
Read Something Special
Keep a small book of poetry nearby so you can dip into it when given the time. A well-written poem can liven your spirits and give you the perfect boost throughout an otherwise monotonous day. If you prefer, you can also choose something like a crossword puzzle or sudoku. Not into any of those ideas, write down things you are grateful for. You can create a gratitude journal or even start a gratitude list on your phone.
Buy Yourself Something Nice
You don’t have to buy yourself something expensive, but treat yourself to something nice every now and then to boost your mood. It could be dark chocolate or a cute keychain. You could even buy yourself a beautiful postcard to pin on a wall at home. Give yourself gifts and treat yourself with love to always have the best mood possible.
Practice Positive Thinking
It’s easy to fall into the trap of negative thinking throughout the day, but it’s extremely important to break that trap before it becomes self-fulfilling.
Instead of worrying about errands, chores, or work, think about how nice it will be to complete your tasks. You’ll have to complete them anyway, so it’s better to think of the positives instead of the dull negatives. Instead of worrying about how long a project will take, try to imagine how pleasant it will be to complete it.
By following these tips, you’ll be able to take time for yourself throughout the day without worries. Give yourself a gift every once in a while, and do something positive for yourself whether it’s thinking happy thoughts or getting in a small amount of exercise. Once you make a habit of this, you’ll be able to see the positive results immediately!
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