Let’s make this our Summer of Self-Care!
I love summer because of the beautiful warm weather and the long days. I love being in the garden and getting out for walks. Flowers are blooming and world feels particularly alive!
It is a beautiful time of year to revitalize and strengthen our self-care practices so, they can sustain us through the darker months.
Keep it Simple
If you’ve been around here for awhile, you’ll often hear me tell you to keep it simple and I REALLY believe it. I don’t know about you but, I feel the world could have us believing that self-care needs to be extravagant to be effective. Instead, I want you to simply ask yourself what feels nourishing to you and what simple ways you could nourish yourself today. The action might feel so small (like taking a break or listening to your favourite song or washing your face). Get in touch with what would feel kind in this moment and create a moment for that. Our self-care could take seconds or minutes – it does not need to be lengthy to be effective. In fact, I say simple and consistent for the win.
Daily Self-Care
When we practice daily self-care, it becomes a sustainable practice and we are building an important muscle. When we prioritize our mental, physical and emotional well-being, we reduce stress and feel better. I encourage you to think of simple ways you can include self-care into your daily routines.
For example, could you take a few minutes in the morning to have a quiet moment to yourself and set your intentions for the day.
If you have a desk, could you keep it organized? Do you have things around you that inspire you? Are you staying hydrated? Can you listen to music you enjoy.
Movement is also a great self-care practice. Can you take time to exercise or go for a walk?
Self-care is also doing things that bring you joy – what simple things that you enjoy can you include in your everyday life?
Nourishing yourself is also at the heart of this. What foods make you feel good? Are you getting enough rest? What, in this moment, would make you feel nourished?
Being on Your Own Side
Think of these practices as being on your own side. I imagine you take care of lots of people and this is a reminder that you need to be taken care of too. You can make it simple and kind and fun. Daily self-care will become a habit after awhile and you will notice significant effects – even in moments that might surprise you. Be kind to yourself above all else.
If you’ve got some daily practices you want to share in the comments, I’d love to hear them and others might benefit too.
Self-Care Deck
Really, all of our decks are about self-care but, you can specifically check out the Self-Care Starter Kit as it may be just the simple inspiration you need.
You can also follow along on Instagram @mayyouknowjoy and Facebook at May You Know Joy for regular inspiration.