Welcome to 31 Days of Self-care

Phew! Day three of 31 Days of Self-care is here!

Day three of our wellness journey where you will learn to nourish yourself.

As you’re probably figuring out, self-care isn’t only imbibing in special treats to make us feel better for a moment. Self-care is an ongoing process. It is essential to our well-being and affects how we interact with others which of course, mirrors back to us how well we’re doing with wellness.

As promised with yesterday’s teaser, today I’m talking about getting out! Literally and figuratively. Get out, get out, get out. I am very, very guilty of the danger of getting wrapped up in my work, feeling sorry for myself, or not wanting to get out of the house – the latter being mostly during cold Maine winters.

Fortunately, my work makes me move around and be on the road meeting people. I live in the country, surrounded by fields and trees which call me to get outside and enjoy their company. You’ll find on my food blog; I’m all about being outside for rejuvenation and can get completely lost watching the wildlife. I’ve come a long way in learning to quiet my tendency to stay isolated.

Let’s take a look at literally getting out.

On day one, I wrote about how important it is to change up our location to change our perception. Nothing sparks creativity like getting out and engaging with something different or engaging in a different manner. I often find my head clears when I get outside. Even on the occasion that I can’t get outside, I’ll walk around my room a few times. It frees up the creative side of my head. It allows the sub-conscious part of my mind to step up to the plate.

There are other reasons for changing our location. We are taking charge. When we stop and say to ourselves, “I’m done working on this, I’m going out for a walk,” we’ve made a conscious decision. This decision is empowering over the long haul and good practice for other times when we have to make choices.

Make a date with yourself. I’ve become a big believer in “me” time. Set a block of time to slurp a cup of coffee or to take that walk! Whatever makes us happy – do that.

                  “The quieter we become, the more we can hear” ~ Ram Dass 

But what about getting out of our heads?

What do I mean? I mean it’s necessary to end thoughts of self-doubt and self-destruction. We can have these thoughts and others like them spinning over and over until they seem to become our reality. (Remember, the only truth is what you put into action!)

Stay away from triggers that cause us to hit the replay button.

So if going to a restaurant sets a debilitating thought in motion – don’t go! I mean it. If friends suggest we go to a particular place and it’s going to cause us harm, we have the power to say no and offer somewhere else. AND we don’t have to give an excuse. We don’t have to supply an explanation. If it’s not possible to change location, really weigh options for the best outcome. I advocate this particularly when someone is grieving over a loved one passing or a breakup. We have the power within us to make choices. It’s our journey, and we get to choose who goes with us and what our experience will be! This is all about self-care!

Remember the major choice we have is the power to say to whatever our mind is telling us and is not serving us well: “Thank you. I appreciate your effort, but I’ve got this. You can leave now.” We have the power within to say “no” and “please leave” to anything that no longer serves our wellness opportunity.

Opportunities to get out of location and get out of our head!

• Drink lots of water or take a shower or bath.  Water is proven to help overall wellness.
• Meditation – set a timer when short of time. Just 7 – 10 mins can make a huge difference.
• Engage in small talk. Small talk is a release that can lead to deeper conversations.
• Journal. Write it all out, even if it’s only a sentence. Or write a whole book!
• Choose what inspires and feels right.

So! We are all loved and magnificent and deserving. We know this inherently, or we wouldn’t focus on self-care. I’m glad we’re sharing this journey. Share some thoughts in the comment section. We all benefit best when we engage.

I’m especially super excited about our next step! Bring a mirror!