By Souls of Silver
The wise Brian Andreas once said:
“There are days I drop words of comfort on myself like falling leaves and remember that it is enough to be taken care of by myself.”
Taking care of ourselves is rarely easy, even if it seems as though doing so should occur naturally or without any effort. Focusing on our goals, purposes, achievements, as well as expectations is quite important for everyone; however, keeping these things at the expense of enjoying life overall is never going to end well over the long run.
Self-care is not a one-time thing or achievement. So, continue reading our article and take care of yourself in the ways you deserve.
Take self-care of your mind.
Write down anything positive which anyone says about you on a daily basis, and keep a file or even a journal in order to reread from time to time. Write down all of the tasks which you ever wanted to complete, but you have not gotten around to, and remember to complete at least one of them per week or month.
Start making decisions by using your heart if you often default to the judgment of your mind, or try making choices with your mind if you normally go with your hearing. If life is getting better, you should keep moving ahead in this tempo.
Take some time to lie down or even to sit down in a natural environment like a forest or a wildlife trail, as connecting with nature is going to alleviate pressure from your mind.
Change your routine in some way, for instance by taking a new way to work or by eating somewhere new for lunch or dinner, as keeping things original is going to keep you more alert.
Pay more attention when you brush your teeth, when you drive, or eat and drink; preventing yourself from doing something without thinking about those things is going to make your day feel more fulfilling, as well as enlivened.
Plan for five minutes of “play” every day when you do not have to feel guilty for entertaining yourself in some strange or silly ways.
Also, create new habits which are going to benefit you in the long run, such as eating an apple while you are going to work each morning.
Think of something small which was irritating you for some time, and make it a point to solve the problem for good within 24 hours.
Meditate for a few minutes before you go to sleep each night so that you could accept the day, as well as release any lingering anxieties from it.
You should do one selfish thing every day so that it will make you happy or satisfied.
Make it a point to throw out one piece of clutter each week or even month.
Each day, take an hour to just spend by yourself and do everything you think is going to benefit you the most.
Also, make it a point to talk with people in lines and on elevators – it does not matter what you will discuss, the practice is going to have a comforting influence on you.
Delete or mute some negative people on your social media feeds.
Take self-care of your body.
Use the body scan technique to spot any injuries or problems before they become more serious.
Breathe into your abdomen and breathe out of your stomach and chest – for three times.
Dance, even if it is only by yourself in your own living room.
Stretch throughout the day so that you stay limber and avoid unnecessary injuries.
Make it a habit to take the stairs or even go for a jog at some time during the day; being active instead of being lazy is going to boost your energy.
Remember that the majority of the food which you are eating is healthy.
Also, give yourself a temple massage at least a few times during the day.
You should be comfortable with your body, no matter how it is; if you are not comfortable, start taking a few steps to make it so in the long run.
Make it a habit of drinking a glass of water when you wake up and before you walk out of your home when you go to work – no matter when you are, it is necessary to make sure that you are enough hydrated and alert.
Make sure that you feel nice and comfortable when you buy new clothes – they should also feel nice against your skin too.
You should stay at least five minutes during the day in a natural environment, like a park or a trail.
Also, be in direct sunlight for at least fifteen minutes every day.
Smell something which you really enjoy in different periods during the day, like lavender or peppermint.
Read something which will make you laugh every day.
Remember to take a short nap in the afternoon every day, so that you will order recharge your batteries for the entire day.
Take self-care of your soul.
If you can advise your best friend, you can give yourself advice too.
Spot some beautiful things in life where you normally would not notice them.
Be a person that will hold the door open for the person behind you.
Articulate some specific emotions which you feel in order to accept them and release them too.
Remember not to think about anything negative for at least five minutes before you go out of your house every day.
Also, spend more time with positive and productive people when you can choose.
Pet an animal, even if you don’t have or you want a pet, at least once a week.
Once in a while, ask your friends what they like most in you.
Say hello to people when you meet them, or you walk by them on the sidewalk.
Don’t be afraid of buying something which you really want but you don’t need every once in a while.
Date yourself at least once in a month – and, you should not stand yourself up.
Contemplate the everyday things in which you are good and bad, as well as determine in what way you can improve at the aspects of life in which you need to be figuring out why you are good at the things you already are.
You should not be afraid to take some extra shower or a bath in one day.
Make it a point to ask for help when you could actually use it and not just when you need it.
Plan some vacations during the weekend with yourself, at least on every three or four months.
This article was originally published by Soul on Soul and has been republished here by kind permission.
