Happy New Year!
As we start a new year, this is a perfect time to expand the definition of self-care include a more holistic perspective, weighing in on not only the physical component, but also the mental and emotional and spiritual ones as well.
If someone asked you how you applied self-care to your own life, how would you answer that question?
Could you provide a list of things you do on a daily basis that promotes all three aspects of your self-care in all facets of your life?
If you are like most people, the list would be pretty short.
Why?
Because in the busyness of life, our own self-care takes a back seat to our to-do list, work, social media scrolling, chores and other endless activities and distractions.
How do we change this current limited self-care definition?
First, let’s start by looking at what self-care is and how we can ratchet up our own self-care practice, so as to experience a greater sense of peace and satisfaction, no matter how crazy or overwhelming our lives may be.
By definition, self-care is “an intentional initiative in maintaining your own wellbeing”. It is a practice we take to both preserve and at the same time improve our own health. In addition, there is also an active component of self-care that requires us to define what habits or experiences in our lives are actually detrimental to our self-care.
Examples?
Plenty of them. Poor diet, no exercise, smoking, unmanaged stress, not going to the doctor, poor relationships, just to name a few.
To be clear, self-care is not an indulgence that only the wealthy, pampered and predominantly women can afford. We all need it, no matter our age, sex, or financial status. Because the truth is that if you are not healthy in mind, body and spirit, all aspects of your life will suffer, sometimes drastically.
Please don’t let that be you.
Creating a self-care routine won’t just develop on its own. It will require you to have discipline to set the time and practice to get it done.
Most people have discipline in some other area of their lives. What about you? Apply that same practice to your self-care. It’s not a luxury. It’s a requirement to live a fulfilling and meaningful life. You are that much of a BIG DEAL!
(If you are struggling with self-worth, depression or high levels of anxiety, please make an appointment with a therapist or a coach to get to the root of these feelings. You deserve to be free from these often-crippling negative thinking and feeling patterns.)
Ready to improve your own self-care? Here are five tips you can apply to make your 2022 amazing!
1. Start with a list of things that you are tolerating in your life that are causing you stress and unease. Can’t think of anything off hand? Trust me, there are a slew of things you are tolerating that you may not even be consciously aware of.
I suggest to my clients to keep a running list for a couple days and jot things down as they move through their day. (Examples: loose door knobs, overfilled junk drawer, poor communication with your spouse, ripped clothes, kids that talk back, undefined expectations at work, etc). After you have your list, start crossing items off one by one. You will be amazed how freeing this practice is. (I have a whole chapter on tolerations with examples in my book Claim Your Inner Badass. Grab your copy on Amazon. LINK Want a free copy of the GAME CHANGING Tolerations Checklist? Download now
2. Get enough quality sleep. The average person needs 7-8 hours. Please put your phone down, turn the tv off, and dim down the lights thirty minutes before you hit the hay. Give yourself the gift of a peaceful transition to sleep by reading, catching up with your family, meditating- whatever activity makes you feel grounded, healthy and whole.
3. Exercise. I tell my kids this all the time, motion is medicine. Exercise isn’t just for your physical body but benefits your emotional state as well. Without movement, energy festers in the body as stress and anxiety. And nothing beats the serotonin boost to lift your spirits. Your body wants to move. I understand that it is not always easy to start but with the discipline of a daily habit to exercise, you will be well on your way to look and feel so much better. It starts with one step. Choose an activity you enjoy and get moving.
4. Plan fun. Infuse your weekly calendar with some activities you truly enjoy. Can’t think of anything off hand? Start a list of things that you have done previously that lit you up, and also activities that come up that you want to try. Fun is good for the soul! Have more of it.
5. Build your intimate relationships. Once you have created some daily habits of self-care, you will notice other relationships improve as well. Solid professional, romantic, friends and familial relationships are able to deepen when you have a healthier relationship with yourself. In this current climate of increased anxiety, mental health challenges and even suicide, now has never been a better time to re-commit to building deeper and more meaningful connections. Be courageous in speaking your truth on what you want and how you want to experience others.
And remember, self-care isn’t all champagne and bubble baths; it’s about taking purposeful daily action to live a life in greater alignment to who you are and who you came here to be one small step at a time.
Happy 2022 to all!
High Performance Coach
Last chance to grab a copy of my books on sale on Amazon! Go to kate-mckay.com/books to get yours!
Kate McKay, known as the Master Motivator, is a multi-million-dollar business owner, international best-selling author, TV personality, transformational speaker, strategic business consultant, and lifestyle coach.
Kate loves her work and is clear on her purpose, and it shows!
To learn more about Kate, please visit her website at www.kate-mckay.com
Want to get 2022 off to an incredible start?