By Rosie Battista
Let’s face it. Unless you’ve been hiding under a boulder, you can’t help but feel the effects of the crazy times we find ourselves in. Circumstances out of your control tend to wreak havoc on your well-being with added worry, stress, anxiety, fear of the future. And with all of these things in the way, you forget to take care of YOU.
We’re all feeling it.
There is good news though and there are things you can do.
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I’ve kept it simple and provided you with a list of 11 things you can do to take extra loving care of yourself. Oh no, please don’t say you don’t have time. These tips are super easy to incorporate and don’t take a lot of time. They’re practical and you can do them anywhere.
The truth is that you don’t have time NOT to take proper care of YOU. Because you are what you bring to the table… You are what you bring everywhere, to every relationship, to every situation, to your job, to your family, to your friends, to your business, and to your customers. If things are rocky in any area, you’re the common denominator. It’s all up to you to make the change.
That’s super empowering. It’s all up to you!
This makes taking care of self, the least selfish thing you can do.
Find your favorites from this list and make them part of your daily ritual. I promise if you pick only 3, you’ll feel so much better!
- Water, Works! Make sure you are hydrating yourself throughout the day. If you struggle like me, try adding a handful of frozen blueberries, frozen lemon slices, a dash of cranberry juice, or a handful of mint leaves. Drink your water from a pretty wine glass. Make your water, which we sometimes take for granted, feel appreciated and loved and it will be easier to swallow. Water flows!
- Naked Nourishment – Keep your food simple by selecting foods that are the closest to the source (like fruits and vegetables that have no label) and foods with limited ingredients. Don’t make it complicated. Simple recipes are just as yummy. Here’s my favorite quick and easy recipe for Butternut Squash/Apple Soup for those cold winter nights or mornings (this is delish for breakfast too). Ingredients: butternut squash, 1-2 Gala apples, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tbsp coconut oil. Instructions: 1) bake whole squash and whole apple on a baking sheet at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Squash should feel soft to touch when done. 2) cut cooked squash in half, remove seeds, and place in high powered blender. Cut the apple in half remover seeds and place in blender, add cinnamon and coconut oil and blend till pureed. 3) Scoop into a bowl and top with pumpkin seeds. 4) Enjoy the warmth and goodness!
- Connection – Connection and love are top needs for humans. Meet up with loving, supportive, encouraging people. Meet for a meal, a cup of coffee, a walk in the park, a hug. Start a book club, a knitting club, a prayer circle. Connection is key!
- Wise Up – Read, study, learn from someone who has the knowledge and wisdom you want to learn. Learn to access your own wisdom and intuition with practice.
- Inspired Action – Follow through on a dream you have. One that just won’t go away. If the dream feels too big or impossible to tackle, break it down into small pieces and do just one small thing towards it. It can be as small and simple as doing as researching more on the subject. An inspired action is a gift from God!
- Silence Everything- Remove yourself from the chatter of phones, computers, TV, electronics. Take the moment, find a place to sit still. This is easy and not complicated. You can do it anywhere. Instead of focusing on how you can’t meditate, or how you have so many thoughts that never shut down, simply get quiet, get still, get silent. Allow that silence to settle in without judgment or pressure to do anything. Don’t worry that your thoughts are not completely shut down, they never will be. Do notice that they’re there and allow them to float by without attaching meaning to them. Silence is golden!
- Move – Get out of that seat! You can do this multiple times throughout the day. Instead of being stressed that you need an hour’s worth of exercise every day, simply take a short walk for 10 minutes, even when it’s cold out there. Or go into your room, shut the door, turn on the music, and dance for 10 more minutes. Get into downward dog, then a pigeon pose, and stretch out for 10 more minutes. You’ve now done your 30 minutes of movement!
- Clean It – Start with a draw or your closet. Get rid of things you no longer use or want. This frees up space for you to replace with something that is better suited for you right now. Clean space feels so good!
- Journal Time– Writing down your thoughts gets them out of your head. Whether you’re filled with worries or full of ideas to act on, having them on paper is better than weighing you down. It’s a place to sort things out, get clear, be expansive, and keep notice. The best time to journal is upon awakening to get clear for the day or before bed to get clean for the night. Let your pen do the walking!
- Tea Totaling – Because it’s special and ceremonial, a cup of tea can center and ground you. Explore loose tea and special blends that smell and feel like gorgeous bowls of flowers. I love this website theartoftea.com for very special flavors and exciting teas. I know you have many mugs. Now throw away the chipped and broken ones and dig into the fine china cups that you have saved for the guests. Be your own guest and serve yourself fancy!
- Pray Often – Praying is not complicated. It can be as easy as saying, “God, be with me now”. It’s something we can do anytime from any place. We may think prayer needs to be complicated or learned, but it’s simply a conversation with God, your Higher Power, Spirit. It’s how you communicate. Talk every day about everything. Nothing is too big for God to handle for you. Consider that this may be the most important thing you do daily because your prayers are always answers. Prayers up!
Rosie Battista teaches a weekly journal course for connection, and self care. Contact her at rosie@rosiebattista.com for details.