Self care is essential. It’s the little things that help us get through life. In addition to keeping a healthy diet and getting enough sleep, self care can be something as simple as taking time for yourself or doing something you enjoy. While it may seem challenging at times, it is necessary to take care of yourself if you want to be able to continue taking care of others. Self care doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. There are plenty of small things you can do every day for yourself that will make a big difference in your life. Here are 7 realistic ways you can incorporate more self care into your life:
Being a mom is hard. I'm not even going to sugar coat it. I feel my patience being tested everyday. Sometimes it can be so hard that the challenges seems so loud that I just want to scream, runaway or just sit alone in silence.
Society doesn't even make it a safe space for us to just vent. It's as if we cannot express that shit gets tough without someone thinking that we are saying we hate being a mother. You do not have to sugar coat your woes just to make someone believe you love your child.
Mama, we know you love your kiddos but we need to also love ourselves too.
How can you be the best mother if you're not looking after you?? You cannot help someone if your body is aching, you're lacking sleep and your mood is in the toilet.
Prioritizing time for yourself is not only important for you but it's important to fully enjoy the moments you have with your kiddos.
Do busy moms really have time for self care? I mean no, but you MAKE time.
Money doesn't just fall into our laps, we go out and make it. So treat your self care the same way and MAKE the time available for yourself.
Once you feel the benefits of daily self care, you'll no longer want to compromise your me time. Check out or Self Care for Busy Moms blog post for more on self care and why it's so important.
7 Easy & Realistic Self Care Ideas
Schedule your self care like an appointment
The only way I can maintain some sort of sanity on the day to day is if I write it down or put it on a calendar. When I schedule something, I make sure it gets prioritized and it should be no different when it comes to doing things for myself.
I love the Calendar App on the Iphone and Todoist but explore what app or method works best for you.
Wake up before everyone else
I know that this can be difficult especially if you have an early waker or you have to get to work afterwards. I've noticed that if I start my day in a bad mood or in chaos, this negative feelings lingers with me for the rest of the day. Try waking up early, set an intention for your day and write in your journal, try meditating or just stretching your body.
Have a slow relaxing night time routine
I am a mama who believes that night times are sacred! It's my non-negotiable. I had a challenging time when my son was a baby. He had colick so bedtimes were really stressful..for the both of us. Now, my son has the best sleeps. We have a bed time routine that we stick to and once he's in bed, it's my time. Taking a self care eucalyptus & lavender shower, oiling my body, doing my complete skin care routine with a glass of wine is the most relaxing way to end the day.
Lights some sage and repeat a mantra
Burning sage or smudging is a ritual that cleanses negative energy. There are many different types of sage that serve different purposes but the intent is to repeat a mantra to make it more impactful. If you chant the mantra repeatedly while smudging, the positive energy from your words will fill your body while the sacred smoke will eliminate negativity.
Explore our Variety Sages and Daily Mantra cards.
Move and stretch your body
When I am stressed, there is something about stretching the heck out of my body that makes me feel rejuvenated.
Do something you enjoy with the family
When i think of self care, I do not think it always means you need to be alone. To me, self care can also mean hanging out with the family but not wanting to be the default parent. During the week can be so busy with school and work, make time on the weekends to having time with your loved ones.
Start your Sundays off slowly with a hot cup of tea and a book
If you follow me on Instagram, you know that slow mornings on the weekends are another one my nonnegotiables. Slow mornings on a Sunday are so important to me because I get the Sunday Scaries. Drinking our Calm Me Down Herbal Tea in silence with a self care book is the perfect way to de-stress and combat my anxiety about the start of the new week.
You deserve self care too
XOXO The Happi Life