By Kristen Donia —
There is certainly a lot of buzz about self-care lately, and – we are here for it. It extends further than bath bombs and face masks. Self-care is how you treat your mind and body and includes your self-talk as well. Here are a few ways to square up to a new body-positive self-care practice.
Rest
Did you know that not getting adequate sleep can affect your hormones, thyroid, and adrenals? Not to mention when we aren’t feeling rested, there is more of a tendency to make poor choices when it comes to our overall health & wellness.
Let’s look at an example. You were up late Sunday night binge-watching Stranger Things and after that scrolling on Instagram. Needless to say, it wasn’t the most restful night’s sleep you’ve gotten in a while. Your alarm goes off. Essentially it felt like you blinked, and suddenly it’s Monday morning. You snooze until you literally can’t snooze anymore. What do you think happens to breakfast? What breakfast? Exactly. When we’re feeling stressed and hurried, we are more likely to skip a meal or grab something quick that doesn’t truly nourish and strengthen our bodies. Talk about not giving yourself the best opportunity to flourish. Getting adequate rest helps your body detox and essentially heal from the stresses of having a life. Do yourself a favor and get as much rest as possible. Try to make it a priority for a week and then check-in, how do you feel?
Eat Breakfast
This one comes as no surprise. Start your day off by eating something nutritious and yummy. There are a TON of food blogs out there dedicated to sharing simple, healthy recipes. Many of them use basic ingredients and are even made in just one bowl. Cause often times mornings can be a bit more hurried and creating intentional meals takes time. Planning ahead and making easy meals allows you to start off your day right. Check out some of our favorites: Life Is But A Dish, Minimalist Baker, Be Well By Kelly,
Positive Self-Talk
Everybody knows the ‘little me,’ that voice inside your head. Sometimes she comes out as supportive, and other times it would appear as though she’s trying to ruin your day. She’ll hit you with all the different reasons why you’re never good enough. Thoughts shape our experience, which is why being most intentional with them, is important. It’s in those times of negativity we need to take a deep breath and remind ourselves that we are not our thoughts. Realizing when your self-talk is putting you down rather than building you up, and flipping the script is an essential part of life.
And how we feel about our lives and what we think about our future has an impact on the choices we make for our today. By choosing our words carefully, especially when talking to ourselves, or better yet when you’re judging ourselves, you can slowly start to change the way that you perceive yourself. Try expressing gratitude for little things in your life, that will help encourage more positive self-talk as well. A little gratitude goes a long way. You will feel the benefits immediately.
We want you out there living your best life. Try getting more rest, starting your day off with a nutritious meal and check out your self-talk. These three things are small yet can have a significant impact on your life when you step back and are intentional about your choices.