Time for some self love…..

I used to think that self care is an indulgence. It always used to make me feel guilty when I would think of taking a few minutes break from my perpetually busy life, juggling multiple responsibilities. Even as my body and mind would scream for a break I would move on to the next task on my To-do list. Though I accomplished most of the tasks on the list, I was not happy.I was overwhelmed, burnt out and resentful.

But now I have realized that Self care is not an indulgence, it is not selfish. Self care is about reconnecting with yourself, taking responsibility for creating a happier and healthier life.It is about having a daily practice , even if it is only a few minutes a day, for nurturing your physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.

Haven’t we all heard the flight attendant asking us to put the oxygen mask on ourselves first?

Shifts with self care

Having been a plate spinner and DOer all my life, it was quite a challenge for me initially, to slow down and just BE. Also, from past experience, I knew that I usually started with full momentum and lost motivation after a few weeks. To ensure that did not happen, I picked simple habits, which did not take too long to do. More than the duration, the consistency is very important to establish a habit or routine.

Once I started taking a few minutes out for my self care rituals everyday, I started showing up in my life, happier, healthier, content and more productive! I just needed to be aware and slow down, listen to my body and mind. So if you are like the old me, running on adrenaline and trying to accomplish everything from a never ending to-do list, maybe it is time to slow down and ask yourself if your cup is being refilled………and make sure it is!

Some simple tips to get started:

• Have a fruit snack daily

• Stay hydrated

• 5 minute meditation

• 10 minute walk

• Paint

• Dance

• Sing

• Listen to music

• Gratitude journal

• Read a book in your lunch break

• 8 hour sleep

• Learn a new skill

• Call a friend

• Start a herb garden

• Get a nice massage

  Remember , it is not a chore to be added to your list. It is something you are doing for yourself, enjoy it! Once there is the self awareness that you have to take care of yourself first before you can care for others in your life, self care becomes easy!

And while you are here, if you want you can download the free self care chart below. I painted this to keep track of my daily, weekly and monthly self care rituals. It really helps me in my self care journey to have my new routines written down . I feel more committed and accountable and seeing it everyday is definitely motivating!

Interesting fact, dragonflies symbolize self realization in many cultures! So I just had to add a dragonfly in here to remind me constantly of my new realizations !

So take time out to nurture, nourish and rejuvenate yourself and remember that kindness to others starts from compassion to yourself!

And i would also love to hear your self care ideas, you can share in the comments!

Wishing you a beautiful life filled with abundance of health, happiness, love and prosperity!

- Madhu