Self care Is selfish…. but that’s a good thing. Self care allows us to operate at higher, more positive vibration which allows us to have the capacity to help others rise to a more positive vibration.
As a mum I spend a lot of time telling myself I don’t have time to stop. To have even 10 minutes of me time is so hard. And I don’t mean time to myself to work on my blog, to do the laundry, to contact my clients – I mean REAL ME TIME, to recharge.
Even before becoming a mum, having 2 hour facials would drive me crazy. The only thing I could think about were all the things I could be doing instead! I’d come out more stressed than I was going in!!
One thing I’ve learnt over the last few years is self care can be as simple as spending a few minutes each day doing nothing. No thinking (OMG this is really hard for me!!), no social media, NOTHING!
Just you, sitting and breathing. It starts from there.
Here are eight reasons you should never feel selfish for taking care of yourself.
1.It helps you be you.
The moment you decide to give yourself a few minutes of the day, you’re also allowing yourself to be more authentic. It’s a way to get to know yourself better. If you think you know all there is to know about yourself, think again! There is so much more to us than what we see on the surface.
Put a little time aside and commit to doing something everyday for yourself. It won’t take long before you see some parts of yourself you never thought existed. It allows you to determine which parts are authentically you and which aren’t—we all have aspects in us that we have adopted from others: a celebrity, a friend we look up to.
2.It’s the only way can take care of others.
Have you ever heard the phrase fill your cup first? You can’t fill other people’s cups from an empty cup. Much like an oxygen mask on an aeroplane, you have to put your mask on first before you can help others. You need a healthy mind and body, which aren’t present when you’re filled with self doubt. Your strength to help help others comes from within.
3. It helps you to live rather than just existing.
Existing is simply being on this tiny blue dot called Earth. Living is experiencing everything this tiny blue dot has to offer. Which are you doing? Many people are OK with just existing. They wake up, go to work, go home, eat dinner and sleep. Tomorrow they’ll do it all over again.
Are you going to wait for your retirement before you decide to enjoy life, before you decide to carve out some time for yourself?
4. It helps you find your purpose.
What is your purpose? You’ve probably asked that question many times. You might have days, weeks or months where you feel down, feeling like there should be something more. This is your body telling you to take a leap of faith, into the unknown, because your purpose is out there, waiting.
How do you know when you find it? You just do. Self-care means trusting yourself. It means being willing to dig deep. It might be scary, but there’s really no other way to figure out what you’re supposed to do in this world. Practicing self-care and building trust between you and your inner self will help you find purpose in your life.
5. Self-care is as empowering.
It takes a lot of courage to actually show up to me time every day. Clearly, it’s easier to fall into the traps of social media and rearranging furniture (hang on, is that just me?!). But when you start getting used to setting those things aside and to just focus on you, it becomes easier to connect with your inner self.
Stop chasing work-life balance and start empowering yourself to achieve your greatest desires.
6. It’s the best road to a physically healthier you.
Self-care is not just about getting in touch with your inner self. It’s also about your physical self, meaning healthy diet, exercise and sleep.
One misconception about achieving good physical health is that it’s hard. Well, it can be. But not always. You eat, sleep, drink and walk around. Those are enough. Scrap the dieting mindset – this what makes us think it’s hard to be healthy. Start with a couple of small tweaks one day at a time. Start by ditching one sugary snack with a green apple. Then add a 15-minute brisk walk. These might seem small, but they’re enough to get you going.
7. It creates Motivation.
Motivation is a tricky little thing. If you find that you have to really try hard to motivate yourself to do something, well, you’re not really doing something you love to do. You’re existing and not living your passion.
Self care allows you to uncover what is at your core, in your heart, your true desires. When you acknowledge and honour what’s at your core, you are more motivated to do what it takes to get you where you want to be.
8. It is the perfect reminder that you are worthy.
Acknowledging that you are allowed to be sad, to be happy, to be uncomfortable, can change your outlook on life.
Being aware of your emotions and thanking them for being there and to show you that this isn’t the way you want to feel and that you need to pivot.
