Happy Valentine’s Day!
Today I’m taking an unconventional approach to the day of love. In lieu of romance, I’m focusing on loving yourself by sharing my favorite ways to boost happiness and relax with self-care tips!
I wear a lot of hats. I’m a single mom of two, precious children with a full-time career and two side hustles. In my *cough cough* spare time, I enjoy volunteering and giving back to my community through various organizations that I belong to. Throw in a social life and hobbies and it’s enough to make my head spin sometimes. The truth is, most of us are busy and over-programmed. In our western society, people equate busyness with success and view it as a badge of honor. However, I’m thinking the French have the right idea by taking the whole month of August off.
Through the craziness, I’ve realized I have to take care of myself or no one else will! This means that’s it’s okay to say no and take time for me. I believe in taking care of my body by eating healthy, working out and getting plenty of rest and have learned it’s equally important to take care of my mental and emotional health through self-care.
Below, you will find my top ten ways to relax, recharge and take time outside for myself. I encourage you to incorporate one or more of these self-care tactics into your daily routine and reap the benefits!
1. Schedule a date with yourself
In my very first blog post, 18 in 18, I mentioned my goal of setting a few hours aside on a weekly basis for something I want to do. It’s easy to fall victim to a busy schedule, so I’ve found I have to be intentional with this goal. At the beginning of my week, I actually schedule my “me time” and plan what I what to do and when. Mine have been as simple as spending time catching up on my favorite magazines or visiting a new coffee shop and just relaxing. When I travel for work, I try to pair my “me time” with things I like to do in different cities.
2. Listen to a podcast
I love podcasts! I wish I had more time to read so I love that I can listen to a podcast while I’m doing other things. I like to turn mundane tasks into something I like to do by pairing them with my favorite podcasts. I listen while getting ready, cooking, folding laundry or traveling. My favorite podcast to listen to is Happier with Gretchen Rubin which is a fun and lighthearted personal development podcast that focuses on happiness, habits and life hacks.
3. Move
I do a strength training program three times a week and always leave the gym with my endorphins pumping. Not only do I feel great, but I sleep better and am less stressed. Walking or running outside in nature is also a great mood booster. If you are looking to relax or help with anxiety, yoga is a great option. When my kids get upset or throw tantrums, I send them outside to walk a few laps around the house. It’s a great way for them to blow off steam, calm down and release the negative energy. My daughter has a hard time sleeping, so sometimes she likes to unwind at night with a yoga for kids video which seems to help a lot.
4. Meditate
As our society has become more busy and overstimulated, meditation has become mainstream. I try to take 10 minutes out of my day, usually around lunchtime, to refocus and meditate. There are plenty of guided meditation apps out there – I use Headspace which offers 3, 5, and 10-minute meditation sessions for free (with upgrade options available). When I have more time, I love to do a deep muscle relaxation for thirty minutes. This technique requires that you lay down and start by stretching your arms above your head and pointing your toes while stretching and tensing your entire body for 10 breaths. You repeat that a few times, then lay with your hands by your side completely still and focus on your breathing. I like to listen to the Deep Sleep playlist on Spotify while I do this. I become so relaxed, that my body almost feels weightless and it’s hard not to fall asleep. I recommend setting a timer and sitting up slowly when you’re done. It’s important to move slowly and reacclimate yourself when you start to get up so you don’t fall over when you start to walk.
5. Channel your creativity
You don’t have to be Picasso to benefit from channeling your inner creative spirit through coloring or drawing, photography, gardening, cooking, etc. I find it freeing to disconnect from technology and use a different side of my brain.
6. Rest
Getting enough sleep and taking time each day to rest is crucial to our mental and physical health. You hear a lot of people say, “I just need 5-6 hours of sleep and I’m good”. Truth is EVERYONE needs a full 7-9 hours. When we don’t sleep enough, our cognitive function and emotional intelligence are impaired – in short, you are irritable and groggy and may just think that’s your norm. Sleep deprivation is also linked to mental health disorders and depression. I am very protective of my eight hours and make a point to turn in early. I even have a bedtime alarm on my phone. In addition to sleep, it’s important to take time out of the day to unwind and simply be still. I’m constantly battling busyness and have to remind myself to take some time to relax and recharge as it actually increases energy and productivity levels. I used to work through lunch and eat at my desk but realized taking an hour to leave the office to eat and unwind actually benefits my performance and mood. I’m on fortunate enough to live a few miles from work so I go home but you can pack a lunch and head outside to eat nice days or go for a walk after you eat. I have a friend that walks around the local mall at lunch which is a great way to relieve stress and change scenery.
7. Get outside
Turn off your phone and breath the fresh air. There is something so calming about being outside and connecting with nature. Visit a park, go for a walk in your neighboorhood or simply sit on your patio and soak up that vitamin D. Research shows that natural light exposure actually increases your levels of serotonin, which is your body’s happiness chemical.
8. Connect with loved ones
Call a family member or meet a friend for coffee! Nothing boosts your mood like laughing and spending time with those you love.
9. Relax with a bubble bath
One of my favorite ways to relax when I’ve had a long day or a hard workout is to take a bath or long shower. Throw on some music and light the candles. I’ve been using Epsom salts lately which come infused with essential oils are great for soothing achy muscles. No need to pay a lot. I use Dr. Teal’s which can be found at your local grocery store with the other bath products.
10. Journal
I’ve journaled through different seasons of my life and find it helpful to relieve stress or promote mindfulness – depending on the goal. When I went through my divorce, I found it helpful to write everything down in a journal, from prayers to feelings, to release and let go of the emotion. However, I rarely keep a detailed, in-depth journal anymore. For my lifestyle, it’s more realistic to keep a one-line, gratitude or daily intentions journal. Try keeping a daily log of something you are grateful for every day – it will force you to focus on all of the positive blessings in your life. I also like to keep track of my daily intentions which helps me focus on living the life I want to live instead of going through the day in a reactive state. I’ll make one for the week with weekly intentions and create a goal in different areas – spiritual, personal, work, kids/relationships, and tranquility. Then each morning or evening before I go to bed, I’ll set intentions which are small, realistic goals in those areas for the day. It’s helpful to remember this isn’t a to-do list so you don’t beat yourself up if something doesn’t happen! Some examples may be, have a morning quiet time, take time for me by ____ , go on a bike ride with the kids after school, have a certain mindset/attitude in a meeting, etc.
So there you have it, my favorite ways to love and take care of yourself! What are your favorite ways to relax or recharge?
Cheers,
Christa
mallard & MAGNOLIA 