We all struggle with finding time for ourselves. Most women struggle, at some point or another, against stress and burnout. The good news for women is that you can prevent it or even turn it around with some basic self care practices that can take no more than 1-5 min a day. An occasional rut is to be expected in life, however when we continually do not feel our best, it is time to make a shift.
Recognizing when you need to make a change is not always an easy process. Sometimes, our habits that we have built over time are hard to break. But as the saying goes, if we keep doing what we always do, we should not expect a different result. Thinking about the times in your life when you did feel like you were in the flow, start to reflect first on your daily patterns and how they compare to this time in your life now. Another question to ask yourself as the starting point might be: Is there anything that you are not doing everyday that you know makes you feel better? Are there things in your life that you are currently incorporating that are making you feel bad? If you do not know the answers yet, it is time to get reflective on some one-on-one time with yourself to evaluate if things could be different. Because if we do not stop to check in once in a while, all the little things will start to add up.
Routines encourage not only physical balance but also mental hygiene. If you disregard a few minutes to take care of yourself in the morning or the evening, then you risk feeling stuck, overwhelmed or disappointed. To set yourself up for a morning routine that will truly stick and make an impact in all areas is to build a 1% improvement per day that leverages the compound effect. A baby step that you can make today will make your tomorrow a little better. Another way to make a new habit stick is something introduced by B.J. Fogg where he stated tying a new habit to a trigger sentence such as : “Right after I ____, I will____.” Fogg specifically suggests tying it to a location, time, emotional state, other people or preceding action. While you can find inspiration through others, what is most important is looking within yourself for the approach that is best for you.
Here are four practices that I recommend for finding a little peace for yourself in the midst of a busy life. I recommend choosing one to start and building from there.
Mindfulness
You will hear a lot of talk about mindfulness nowadays, but it comes most easily for us early in the morning. Morning time is a time when your mind hasn’t had a lot of time to start racing, so mindfulness with fewer mental fluctuations isn’t challenging. Many of us envision meditation as sitting perfectly still on a cushion in a quiet room, but instead, I urge you to let your practice meet you where you are. Close your eyes if you’d like and empty out your lungs on your next exhalation. From there, slowly begin inhaling. Once you’ve taken a full breath in, slowly exhale. Then slowly inhale once more but this time notice the sensation of breathing in and out. Congratulations! You have just practiced mindfulness. The practice, not the outcome or the method is what matters.
Journaling
Writing, just like meditation, can help us excavate any thoughts that are going on in your mind. The best time to do this is the morning time to notice what kind of thoughts you start off your day with as well as directing your mind towards more positive thoughts. I teach this to my clients as a form of thought downloads. Keep your hand moving. Do not cross anything out. Do not worry about any spelling or grammar errors. Do not worry about the thoughts “what if someone reads this”. Set a time for 5 min and write down every thought that comes to mind. Once you see your thoughts on paper, you can see them for what they are, thoughts on paper. Then you can see which thoughts you would like to keep in your mind for the day or add in ones you want to intentionally think.
Essential Oils
One deep breath can do wonders for a person on its own. However, if you combine the act with essential oils, it can really open up new doors. Essential oils work on many different levels in our bodies. It is important to know which oils you are using and if you are using them safely. Many essential oils have been known to create calm or support feeling grounded. There are many ways of incorporating essential oils in the morning time habits. One way is to use it alongside deep breathing or meditation as an inhalation method by simply inhaling your favorite oil in deeply. Another way of using essential oils is in a self massage, where a certain oil is mixed with a carrier oil, such as coconut oil, and rubbed on the body starting with the feet, moving upward in circular motion. This stimulates the lymphatic system, which we know now is very helpful in supporting the immune system.
Exercise
Choosing the type of exercise you do varies greatly and it is important to maintain cardiovascular endurance and muscle tone. But something to consider is if you are already in a state of stress, then adding high intensity movement won’t have the desired effect. Choosing something like yoga or gentle walking might keep you moving and energized without overtaxing your nervous system. On the flip side of that, if you have had moments of low energy choose a more vigorous workout. Moving your body first thing in the morning, even if it is for one minute, will get your blood flowing while improving circulation.
These practices can be done all in one morning if you feel like you have the time, or simply choose one. No matter what you decide, there is really no right choice. They only take a few minutes to be effective in helping you disengage from the stress of life. Don’t take my word for it, try them out for yourself. There is one practice which will always be available to you, and that is your own intuition. These simple routines can help you connect to that. It is just about taking the time to learn practices to help you find it, and being consistent with it.
Self care in a holistic view point looks like taking care of your mind, body and spirit. If you need a rock solid way to take care of your own mind in motherhood so you can be the best version of yourself with your kiddos, consider the FREE printable of how to coach yourself.
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Much love
Krystina
