Six simple self care routines to boost your wellbeing
There's a very good reason we're told to fit our own oxygen masks before helping others, we are no good to anyone else when we're running on empty.
Self-care can often be mistaken as selfish but on the contrary, looking after your own health and wellbeing ensures you are better equipped to care for those around you. Now, that I consider to be pretty selfless! Through prioritising your own health and wellbeing those around you will benefit greatly by getting the best possible version of you.
Self-care is simply the conscious act of looking after ones physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual health through regular daily practices that work to reduce stress and anxiety. When used regularly they will help to create a happier, healthier, more balanced you.
By incorporating some of the following simple, yet highly effective techniques into your day, you will be well on your way to being the vibrant, joyful and abundant human you were put here to be.
Sleep
Not enough can be said about the importance of sleep.
It is critical to every organ of the body and is by far the number one thing you can do every single day to look after your health and maintain your vitality.
Sleep can boost your immune system, improve your mood by reducing stress and anxiety, help you to maintain a healthy weight, improve concentration and productivity, lower inflammation and increase exercise performance.
Sleep is also the time when you repair damage and re-build cells and tissues within the body.
Healthy Eating
Your body is literally an accumulation of the food you have eaten over time. What you eat not only becomes you, but it also plays a vital role in how you feel on a daily basis. By prioritising a well-balanced diet high in protein, healthy fats and as many bright, fresh and colourful veggies as possible your blood sugars will remain stable and your energy constant.
Hydration.
Hydration gets a special mention as H2O truly is so important in how you feel moment to moment and is one of the key factors in where your energy levels are at. If you’ve ever been dehydrated, you’ll know that heavy, lethargic feeling that is so easily avoidable by keeping properly hydrated. Water is responsible for carrying nutrients and oxygen around the body, aiding healthy digestion, increasing energy and relieving fatigue. It also flushes out toxins and improves skin complexion. Start your day with a large glass of warm water and remember to keep drinking throughout the day. Aim for a minimum of 8 glasses to reap all the benefits of this liquid gold.
Move
Do something to move your body every, single, day!
This can range from slow, gentle stretching to vigorous HIIT. The key here is consistency. Try not to focus too much on the amount of time you spend exercising as something is better than nothing. Even if you only have 10 minutes, use those 10 minutes. By committing to do at least one thing every day you are holding yourself accountable and showing your body that it is a priority.
Ground Yourself
Introducing some grounding practices into your day that anchor you into your body is one of the best things you can do to show your body the love and care it deserves.
This can be a gentle stroll in nature, some gardening, a dip in natural bodies of water, or, when all else fails, a nice soothing Epsom salt bath will do the trick. Don't have a bath? Just soak your feet.
Learn a New Skill
Learning a new skill is a great way to keep your mind active. It has been shown to change the physical structure of your brain to improve brain health and increase memory. It also trains you to handle a wide range of challenges by forcing you to step outside of your comfort zone. Learning a new skill also increases your creativity which will transfer into other areas of your life. Plus, knowledge truly is the power that builds self-confidence and makes you more enjoyable to be around.
These are just a few of the many forms of self-care that you can try. So have some fun experimenting with the above suggestions but also explore some other techniques that might better work for you. We all have different things that appeal to us so discovering what this looks like to you is also a form of self-care.
Now, it’s time to fit your oxygen mask, build your wellbeing holistically to help yourself and the people you care most about.