Too much work? What time is soccer practice? Whose dropping the kids off? Did you finish that paper? Did you make that doctors appointment? Stress is everywhere, no matter what. Unless we are sitting on the beach in a pool of our own money, we are going to have some kind of stressor. And too much stress can wreak havoc on our bodies, and we do not want that. Especially because too much stress can mean high cortisol and weight gain, and we do not want that. So here are a few simple self care acts that can reduce feelings of stress/anxiety and fill up your cup!
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There is no hard line of what “self-care”is. You cannot google the definition, because there isn’t one. In a generalized statement, self-care is taking care of yourself. Duh. But really, doing small gestures for yourself everyday is what can be the difference between being overstressed and rundown, and being totally content and happy. Acts of self-care are different for everyone. What one person thinks is relaxing might be totally bogus to someone else, so don’t get caught up in thinking you need to do what others are doing.
Self-care has been around forever, without people even thinking about it. Did you read a book today for fun? Did you sit and drink your coffee? Did you wash your face before bed? Did you hangout with your significant other without technology? All of these things could be acts of self-care if they are things that truly fill up your cup!
Below are a few simple acts of self care that can reduce your stress and anxiety levels!
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Where my ladies at?! We all know how good it feels to get our nails done, our hair done, a massage etc. So DO IT. Splurge if that is what it takes you make you feel really good about yourself! It may seem petty and useless to some people, but for others that “put together” feeling is actually just what they need to feel productive. There are also things at home you can do to make you feel loved, such as face masks, baths, dry brushing, hair masks etc. Simple little things like this can just make us feel so alive and relaxed and ready to take on the day!
This does NOT mean opening a text book and “nerding out”, although it can. What I mean here is just reading a book; maybe that is a personal development book, or a fiction book, or a “how-to” book, whatever it is, do it! Reading is a great way to settle your thoughts and really let you relax snd focus on ONE thing! You could also listen to podcasts. Maybe you’re out for a walk or driving in your care, throw on a podcast and learn. But again, if this isn’t something that fills your cup and makes you feel relaxed and accomplished, then don’t do it.
Moving your body is a stress reliever, unless you are over-doing it. There are times that exercise can be more harmful than beneficial (like overtraining or training for the wrong reasons) but for the most part, just moving y
ou body is going to make you feel better. The best option….do something you love. Maybe that is walking, lifting, yoga, biking….whatever it is….just move! Sweating has been proven to lower stress, depression and anxiety; so that means it must be an act of self-care (:
If you find yourself totally stressed out or anxious about all your thoughts, write them down. Make a list, make 10 lists. Just getting things down on paper can totally clear your mind and set you free. You can also start your day with some journaling or intension setting. Writing down what you’re grateful for can set the tone for the whole day.
Maybe it is being around like-minded people that makes you happy! Find a group or community that you can share yourself with and indulge. Maybe you meet weekly for coffee, or maybe you volunteer at the animal shelter. If you are someone that craves connection, go find it! We are much happier humans when we are doing what we love, an
d when we are happier, it rubs off on those around us.
Whatever it is, do it. Maybe its painting, maybe is applying self tanner, or cooking or cleaning…just do it. Do something EVERY DAY that makes you happy. Because that is self care. Self care is taking care of yourself. You cannot pour from an empty cup, so fill yours up first!
Do we really need a reason to take care of ourselves!? Even if there was no research or science behind it…we should do it anyways. But….lucky for you, there is. Studies have shown that simple acts of self-care can:
• Decrease stress and anxiety (duh)
• Allows you to work harder
• Triggers the brain to continue releasing “happy hormones”
• Happy rubs off…so it allows you to help others
• Prevents you from “burning out”
• Can prevent disease or illness
See, there are other benefits of self-care, but the most important should be feeling good about yourself! We all need to find ways to deload, and destress, or we will end up driving ourselves (and our bodies) into the ground.
I think I have always engaged in self-care acts without realizing it, but lately I have been more mindful. As you know, I got off of my anxiety medication and decided to find natural ways to reduce it. I have found that supplements and other things to be beneficial, but it starts with self-care. In fact, taking those supplements and doing that exercise are already acts of self-care, win-win! Anyways, I wanted to share a few of my favorite self-care acts that I do on a regular basis:
— Daily Exercise
— Weekly Acupuncture
— Nightly Reading
— 2-3 Podcasts per week
— Dinner at the table every night, no distractions.
— Date night once a week
— Coffee shop dates with myself because I need the energy from others sometimes
— Sunday meal prepping and planning
— 1 weekend a month dedicated to a trip/adventure
All of these things are extremely important to me. They make me happy and fill my cup up so that I can continue working and serving. I am sure there are more things that I do that I don’t even realize. One big thing that you all know about is the Keto diet. It has completely decreasing my anxiety (and my gut issues) and that makes me stress free! Not to mention all the other benefits of it like more energy and less brain fog! And, lucky for you, I have created a FREE ebook! This includes everything you need to know about the keto diet; tips, tricks, rules, recipes etc. So you can grab your copy HERE if you’re interested!
And there you have it, simple ways to decrease stress and anxiety without all the extra thinking. So now, do me a favor….go love yourself. Do something for YOU that makes YOU happy and fills YOUR cup! (:
