Exercise gets a lot of attention when it comes to discussions about health and well-being.
And it should because a solid workout routine not only comes with many great physical benefits, but it also fosters mental and emotional health.
However, overall wellness doesn’t stop with exercise.
In order to be truly healthy and live out your full potential, self-care must be a part of your life. We need to look at every aspect of the balancing pendulum. We have so many unwavering responsibilities with family, finance and work. Often times, we do not have time to care for our giving heart.
Self-care can be the simplest of things, from preparing a healthy meal or indulging in a little comfort food once every so often.
Going out to get your nails, feet done and massaged.
Listening to feel good music and dancing to a great beat.
We place too many restrictions on how often and when we should do things for ourselves, but many of us care for others all day long.
Contrary to what some people may believe, self-care is not selfish or self focused, it simply means taking care of yourself, so you can be at your best for yourself and others.
If you need to add self-care to your life, here are some great practices to start with:
Relaxing
Stress is a part of everyone’s life, and relaxing is a major component of reducing stress. Unfortunately, when life gets busy, taking time to relax is not always on the top of our to-do list.
But if you want to add self-care to your life and foster your mental and emotional health, carving out time for relaxation is critical.
Find something you can add to your routine. Whether it’s doing breathing exercises at your work desk, taking a walk in the evening, sitting to have coffee in the morning, or going for a hike or bike on the weekends, find whatever works for you.
You also may need to say “no” to people at times. Over committing brings on a lot of stress, and it eventually results in someone being let down. Set limits for yourself so that you can fully follow through with the things you commit to. This was a huge win for me. I felt a tremendous amount of guilt for taking things off of my plate, even though I agreed to do them. I didn’t really want to do them, but I felt obligated. Serving from the heart requires that you have the “heart to serve.” Serving to just serve because you feel guilty not serving won’t fill your cup.
Muscle Relaxation
Incorporating muscle relaxation into your routine is also vital, particularly if you’re on your feet during much of the day, or you exercise a lot.
While professional massages can be very beneficial, not everyone has the time or money for those. Thera gun, red light therapy as you wind down or the hands of a spouse or friend can surely help!
That’s where at-home foot massagers come in handy, which can end up being a great investment or use in your kids!! Ha ha
A few of the most popular foot massagers to look into are:
- Sharper Image MSG F110 Deep Kneading Shiatsu Foot Massager
Miko Shiatsu Foot Massager
MedMassager MMF06 11 Speed Foot Massager
Sleep
Another practical way to add self-care to your life is to prioritize sleep.
Sleep deprivation is a serious issue for many Americans, and there is often a simple solution: make rest a part of your schedule. While that sounds simple, it’s not always easy. When you’re trying to juggle all of your commitments (i.e. work, family, friends, etc.), it’s tempting to let your sleep fall by the wayside. After all, you can get more accomplished when you’re awake, right? However, a lack of sleep can actually hinder your productivity and performance throughout the day.
Allowing adequate time for your mind and body to recharge will help you achieve more in the long run.
Eating for Health
Diet is critical. Like our minds and bodies depend on sleep for recovery, nutrition is what enables us to thrive during the day. When you eat poorly, it tends to overshadow any other positive habits in your life.
For instance, if you follow a stringent workout five times a week, but you eat a lot of fried and processed foods, you are still at high risk of health problems. Prioritizing protein can really keep things in check because you are getting the essential amino acids that you need for recovery.
Eat consciously, and you’ll reap health benefits and quickly notice a difference in how you feel. Not only will having adequate portions of protein, balance, your blood sugar, that will help to keep your brain, feeling calm and proactive rather than reactive.
We all must have self-care in our lives if we want to be fully healthy.
- Start by fitting relaxing activities into your routine and being conscious of your commitments. Remember to massage your feet if you work on them a lot or workout consistently.
- Prioritize rest by carving seven to nine hours into your schedule for sleep.
- Finally, eat with your overall health in mind, and you will see the drastic difference it makes in your life.
These are steps in the right direction.
Coach,
Kelli Michelle
Keep Moving Forward
