I don't have my journal handy, and frankly I'm too comfortable in bed to get up and go get it, turn on the light, and start writing. So here I am.
Lately I have been ALL ABOUT the self care. I have truly expanded my understanding of what constitutes self care and how I pursue it. I used to think that self care was only in the luxury (i.e. expensive) things -- massages, getting my nails done, going on trips, going out to a fancy restaurant, etc. While all those things certainly can/do fit into the concept of self care, I've learned that self care is really about doing all the little things on a daily basis that are easy to neglect but are important for your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well being.
For me right now, these things include:
- Skin care. I have delved into the world of KBeauty, which promotes natural products and products that help boost hydration levels to promote healthier skin to reduce aging/wrinkles. It's a 5-7 step process, which initially for me was very overwhelming. Especially considering I didn't have a skin care routine. My moisturizer was some cheap thing from the shelf of walmart. Terrible. So terrible. Slowly I am being introduced to a world of skin care. It's still overwhelming and I haven't perfected it, but I am doing more for my skin than I ever have. And honestly -- while I still have kinks to work out, I know I'm doing right by my skin and it's become a luxury habit of mine.
- Exercising 30 mins a day. I've removed the pressure to make every workout intense. I've removed the pressure to make sure my workouts are properly "split". That required too much thinking. Too much planning. Too much perfectionism, which meant that if it wasn't perfect, I wasn't even going to try. Which meant I wasn't exercising like I should! Talk about backfiring. So I took out all the rules. Just be active for a moderate intensity for 30mins a day. That included house cleaning. Gardening. Walking. Yoga. HIIT workouts. T25. Zumba. Circuit workouts. ANYTHING COUNTS. And it's become an important habit that has helped keep me mentally clear/sharp, and a regular outlet for my big emotions that I don't know how to process. It's also often become a family activity -- I'm always suggesting a walk or a workout or some house chore, where the whole family ends up participating. So we get quality time together.
- Flossing 3x/week. That sounds like a silly goal. But it's a real goal for me. Taking care of my teeth makes me feel more confident. I know that it's something I need to do and it feels good to regularly do something that will maintain my physical health and the health of my smile.
- Reading 20mins/day. Now this is hard to do on my weekends off with my family or when I'm on vacation. But when I'm in my normal workday routine, this is a lovely mini vacation from my stress. Sometimes I accomplish this in the car when I get to work early. Sometimes it's on my break at work. Sometimes it's in bed before sleep. But it's always inspiring and encouraging and helps keep me focused/on track (note: I am reading self help books; currently Atomic Habits by James Clear; which I totally recommend, by the way)
- Daily bible study. Okay. This is the one goal that I'm being the least consistent with. But I continue to have it as a goal because when I remember to incorporate a daily devotional (I use a devotion on my YouVersion Bible App), it really makes a difference in my mood! It keeps me grounded. Keeps me honest. Keeps me positive.
- Regular journaling. This typically occurs after I finish my reading. I'm so inspired by what I read that I take notes on my reading, reflect on my notes, then reflect on my emotions/life. This has been a super positive re-addition to my routines!
That's where my self care goals/routines are now. But I'm also working at being better about having the hard/difficult conversations with people in my life that I need to have. And I'm learning how to have these conversations in a way that is productive; where it's not me emotionally dumping on them, criticizing them, or demeaning them. It's an honest but open expression of how I'm feeling. I'm getting better at this as I practice it! And I'm learning that conflict is hard but it doesn't always have to be a nuclear explosion (of course this depends on the other person coming into the conversation with the same aim -- resolution, not war).
I think the next area of my life that I'd really like to have fun with is my hair. I've never spent much time on my hair and have never truly learned how to do anything with it, how to treat it, etc. I've been introduced to the curly girl method of hair care and I am fascinated by all of it! Much like KBeauty, it's all about using natural products that enhance moisturization for better hair health/quality to facilitate natural styles, and to minimize hair damage. Sign me up, right?! It's a lot to learn tho. A lot of methods. Maintenance takes time and effort. So does styling. So I'm a bit anxious, but I know in the end it will be worth it. So I'm currently obsessed with watching YouTube videos and learning about all the techniques and cheap/beginner products. My first shipment of CGM approved products begins arriving tomorrow and I'm excited to start experimenting.
Now if only I could put such effort and success into losing weight!
