Sometimes, we improve the lives of others by putting ourselves first.
Did you write your food lists? Think about want, need or greed? I was going to talk more about food today but Friday is my day off and I don't want to think about food so much, I think about food all week at work, in addition to all the time because I love the stuff so I'll save that blog for the weekend because it will work better for me, I'll have more time to think food over the weekend
Instead I thought we'd look at self care when we don't have any time, because let's be honest everyone's so damn busy, society glorifies being busy, I see it at work every day, members rushing in to get weighed but they can't stay because they have somewhere to be, or they're exhausted so they just want to go home, maybe they've agreed to do something for someone and in turn they're missing out on one of their favourite hours of the week because they haven't learned to say no (we'll cover that later!)
Anyway if you have no time for you, you're shattered and have a to-do list that never seems to get completely done, here are some ideas, starting with one you might find difficult!
PUT YOURSELF FIRST (AT LEAST SOMETIMES)
Have a think about your life, where are you on your list of priorities, whether it be work, home, relationships, family and friends. You can't make changes if you don't even acknowledge that changes need to be made. Are you taking care of yourself enough, think about where you'd like to be on that list. Do you need to start saying NO more often, putting in some boundaries, if you truly enjoy doing something, should you not do it because someone else wants you to do something for them at the same time instead? Why are they more important than you? I was so impressed when one of my members told me she'd said no to a loved one yesterday and put her own needs first, even if it did make her feel really awful (it shouldn't make her feel that way but it gets easier). At the end of the day ask yourself 'what did I do for me today?'
START BEING MORE MINDFUL OF YOUR BEHAVIOUR
In other words start being aware of what you're doing right now, instead of away with the fairies, lost in your thoughts. It can help to reduce stress and actually being present with yourself is a free gift you can give yourself. It's as simple (really not) as simply being aware of your thoughts and letting them go whilst you concentrate on one thing at a time.
HAVE A MORNING RITUAL
Would getting up ten minutes earlier and having a quiet cuppa stop you rushing and stressing over being late or the manicness of the entire family getting up. Maybe when you're brushing your teeth, use those couple of minutes to think positive thoughts, it could be an affirmation, or you could looking at your reflection and start your day with the simple thought, 'I love you, let's have a great day'. Or maybe have an extra 5 minutes in the shower to collect your thoughts, or you could indulge in some shower singing!
HAVE AN EVENING RITUAL
Do something that signals it's the end of the day and time for bed, one excellent idea is to add to that smile list we started at the start of the month, it might be reading a book, doing a bit of yoga or meditation. You choose.
TREAT YOURSELF
Buy little things that make you feel good, not food, unless its something that's going to energise you like some ready cooked fresh fruit, or a prepared salad to save you some time. Maybe it could be something as simple as a lip balm or some rich hand cream, a magazine to give you an excuse to sit and read for ten minutes. Maybe a delicious coffee, especially if you're going to sit and drink it mindfully and let your thoughts wander.
TAKE 5 MINUTES TO IDENTIFY YOUR STRESSES
Get yourself a cuppa and your notepad and work out what's causing your stress. It's no good writing all these lists, smile lists, food lists, etc if we're just putting a plaster over a great big gashing wound. Sometimes we have to make changes and we can't do that until we identify the issues. What would you love to change, can it be changed, if not can you change how you react. I can't change my mom but I can escape a bit and have a little me time. What could you do to ease your stresses.
TAKE A BREAK FROM SOCIAL MEDIA
Do this for as long as you're able too, but even half hour would help, social media isn't a bad thing but let's be honest we can get engrossed, it can be overwhelming. At least turn off your notifications if you haven't already, then you can go on and look when it suits you, rather than your phone constantly pinging!
GO FOR A QUICK WALK ROUND THE BLOCK
Fresh air and a chance to give yourself space to breathe, it worked for me yesterday, I got home, mom was horrid the minute I walked in so I said, 'come of Alfie let's get out of this atmosphere', it worked even for her, that time for both of us to think made her realise she can't be like that all the time and expect me to not say anything.
READ A LITTLE OR LISTEN TO MUSIC
A great escape, I love my audio books, they really help me zone out, or a sing song, you can't beat a great playlist of your favourite tunes or maybe a calming playlist to chill you out.
GO FOR A DRIVE THROUGH THE COUNTRYSIDE
I love to do this, music up full, gorgeous scenery, forgetting my world.
BE A BIG KID
What did you enjoy doing when you were small, hey go play on the swings, be careful on those slides, they're not always wide enough, you don't want to get wedged at the top! I do love a good see-saw, that's one of my best memories ever, me and my bestie on a kids see-saw embarrassing her children (good times). It might be something as simple as doing a bit of colouring, starting a jigsaw you can leave it set up and do a few minutes here and there. Who remembers hop scotch, all you need is a bit of chalk and a brick, I bet you and a mate would have a few giggles, or if you must play with the kids.
ENJOY A TREAT
Yeah we're watching our weight but we're allowed a bowl of ice cream or a cake, maybe it's something more savoury. We all need a bit of comfort food now and again.
SIT AND WATCH THE WORLD GO BY
Find somewhere to just sit down and either watch the world go by or cloud watch, just enjoy sitting and not doing. Just BE, we're human beings not human doings remember.
WRITE A BUCKET LIST
Yeah sit and write down things you'd like to do and places you'd like to visit before you die (actually that can be today's task, start a bucket list in your notepad, you can add to it over time). I wrote one years and years ago and ticked them all off, maybe I need to add things, I'm going to start my list by writing the things that was on that original list and ticking them off.
You may be able to think of other things you can do to help your self care when you're super busy, add them to your self care ideas list from whatever day it was we did that, it should be in your notebook if you're actually doing these tasks and not just reading it and thinking, yeah, yeah, I know all this I don't need to write it down (YOU DO!).
Anyway, I'm off to start my bucket list, a cuppa needed first, got a very, busy day, got to drop my car off to have my brakes sorted and get back to have my massage, busy, busy, busy, I will chill later though.
Enjoy your day, get writing, it's Friday YAY!
Luv ya, mwah
Love me xx
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