101 on Living a Self Care Lifestyle

Life is chaos. This is not me trying to be deep or poetic; this is me being simply real with you. The list of things we have to worry about in life could fill an entire planet (for each of us!). All the choices we have to make, the chores and errands we have to accomplish, and all the emotions that bump around in our mind makes each and every individual a hero in my eyes! Being a hero requires us to do so much for others that we sometimes forget the most important person in our lives: ourselves.

Self-care articles are all over the internet for a reason! We are all trying to destress and declutter our lives (mostly so that we can endure the pile we’ve put on our shoulders). Don’t let yourself get lost in the clutter of your day-to-day grind. Even 20 minutes a day just for ‘you time’ can make a world of difference.

It’s OK to be selfish.

You did read that correctly. The first step to taking time for you is admitting that it is alright to take the time. If you need a break, then take it! You are a human; not a robot. America is one of the countries that makes us work endlessly without little break. Take a note from other countries and learn the art of taking time away from the heavy stuff. If you only get an hour break then see if you can spread that out into smaller intervals. TAKE that vacation you have been storing up; not to get more chores done but to actually vacation (even if you don’t go anywhere).

Realize that your health (mind and body) is so incredibly important. You only get one body; don’t push it to a breaking point. Overworking can physically cause your body to fatigue and become prone to illness. Go ahead, smell the roses! Life is too precious to only see the inside of a cubicle constantly.

Listen to your body.

Our bodies are incredibly smart machines that do so much for us. Not only do they keep us alive everyday (a full time job on its own) they can also fight away diseases, help shield us from pain (to an extent), and do a full on balancing job. With all this, they do need a little help from us. Go to a doctor and get a check up to see what your levels are at. Then make sure you are feeding your body things it truly needs!

Sometimes we drink another cup of coffee because we feel fatigued, but really our body is telling us we need iron. Are you craving something? It’s possible that craving is because you need a certain vitamin or supplement. Treat your body as a temple. Try to eat more whole foods and fewer preservatives. When our body is running at 100% it changes our mindset and gives us the energy we need for the day.

Take up a hobby you enjoy.

Life isn’t always easy and we don’t always get what we want (just like the song goes). I realized one day after working countless hours at a job that I didn’t really like to begin with that I didn’t have any hobbies whatsoever. When people would ask me, a sliver of panic would hit me, “what DO I enjoy doing?” Caring for YOU means treating yourself to passions. LIVE PASSIONATELY! Even if you don’t make money from it; even if you are not good at it! Find something you enjoy doing and invest time each week actually doing it.

Don’t let it stress you out.

As in, life. So many times I catch myself stressing over something that I really don’t need to be stressing about. I’ll lie awake for hours thinking over everything that happened that day and everything I still need to do. Sometimes we cause stress that isn’t even there because it has become so normal to be stressed. Will this matter in 3 months? What about 3 years?

It is okay to have a few stresses in life, but you have to make a conscious decision to let go of things that you cannot control. If people don’t like you or you can’t get enough done in the day, then let it go! Maybe even take time to write your stresses and your gratitudes down for the day. Once you’ve written it down, then let it go.

Do everything with purpose.

Wake up and do your morning routine, but start to actually live in the moment of each task. Why are you doing this? Does it bring you joy? Start cutting out certain things you do (or even objects) that don’t bring you joy. Then live in each moment. Drink your cup of coffee and just live in that moment. Put on clothes that make you feel confident and happy. Listen to your favorite song or podcast on the way to work. Enjoy the moment when your coworker smiles and laughs at one of your jokes.

JUST LIVE! When you eliminate the negative in your life then you realize that every moment becomes a self-care act. We sometimes have to work jobs and do things we don’t enjoy; but you don’t have to let that be it. Work towards your goals and realize when it is time to let that negativity go. You (yes you) are an amazing spectacular specimen who deserves as much happiness as everybody else. Remember this every day when you awake!