What if you could look back on this time as the year you reconnected with yourself? The year you discovered new and profound ways to experience wellness; the year you finally understood how to give yourself a loving, supportive relationship with YOU – the person with whom you will spend the rest of your life! Taking care of yourself is more important now than ever. And the key to self-care is YOU.
The possibilities and impact of self-care are far-reaching – and you don’t need to wait to get started. In fact, just by asking yourself a few simple questions, you can bring an abundance of health and peace into your life now. You might want to grab a notebook or journal and begin by answering these questions.
1.) What can I do to feel better PHYSICALLY?
Move your body! It’s the number one way to feel better. Your body is made to move. Movement literally changes your brain and boosts your immune system. An easy way to get moving is to set an alarm for 20 minutes, then get up and move for at least two minutes. That’s it! It’s the simplest mood-shifter there is. It’s so simple, it’s often overlooked. But, if you turn this one activity into a self-care habit, you’ll notice greater progress in your work, improvement in your body, increased mental clarity and an enhanced sense of well-being.
What’s your favorite way to move? Whether your exercise style is dance or yoga, strenuous workouts or slower-paced stretches, there are unlimited options online. Want to dance with others? Follow #ClubQuarantine and @DNice on Instagram and join an amazing international dance party! If other people are around, include them and make it
2.) What can I do right now to feel better MENTALLY?
Keep moving! Movement also helps elevate your mental state. In clinical studies, regular aerobic exercise is shown to be as effective as antidepressants in reducing symptoms of mild to moderate depression. What do you like to do to engage your brain? Create ways to stimulate the brain that enrich you and make you feel better.
3.) What can I do to feel better EMOTIONALLY?
What can I do to feel better right now? Wait for your answer. Write it down. Ask it again. See how many other answers you get. One definition of self-care is reclaiming your awareness and refusing to be guided by fear. Where are you letting your fear take you? Or keep you? Is worrying helping? What steps can you take to encourage yourself right now? Journal about it.
One of the easiest ways to improve your emotional health is with gratitude. Every morning, before you get out of bed, find at least three things that make you feel grateful. Write them down. Do the same thing before you go to sleep. This practice alone will change your life.
4.) What can I do or plan that will help me connect SPIRITUALLY?
Have you wanted to learn to meditate, but never find the time? Let this time be your entry into a meditation practice. Search online. Right now there are many free offers, new content and ideas being created everyday. Instead of learning on retreat, now you can learn directly on line. Incorporate meditation into your daily routine. Join a new class. Download an app. If you need inspiration, check out Insight Timer, it’s a good place to begin.
5.) How can I challenge myself INTELLECTUALLY?
What have you always wanted to learn? Did you know you can take hundreds of Ivy League courses for free right now?
Check out ClassCentral and COURSERA. Find a podcast to follow a current interest or spark a new one. Take advantage of all these free opportunities. Be a learner. Have a growth mindset and give yourself the opportunity to explore. Make this time count.
6.) What can I fix, change or improve ENVIRONMENTALLY that will make me feel better?
How can I create more beauty in my home and work space? What can I do to provide a feeling of greater safety? What do I want to give away or throw away? Use this time to clear clutter and let go of the past. Journal about this. Give thanks for all you have and give thanks for all you release.
7.) What actions can I take right now that will help me FINANCIALLY?
Are there any accounts I need to close or alter? Are my accounts being debited for things that are no longer useful? Do I need to take action or change my thinking regarding my finances? Is there anything I can do to feel better about my financial situation right now? Is there a conversation I need to have? Do I need to ask for help? Who can help me? Ask for the help you need. Your need for help might be someone else’s need for contribution.
So much of what goes on around us is out of our control. But peace and serenity are in our own hands. By focusing on what we can control, accepting what we cannot control, we reduce our stress and increase our peace and creativity.
Use this time well. Be proactive: create new habits and explore new possibilities. Let go of what no longer serves you and embrace all that supports your well-being and your happiness. Put yourself in a place that will enable you to look back at the challenges of 2020 and see that you were not only resilient, you were creative and self-loving, determined and strong. You made it through. You made it count.
LeeAnn Kendall, Author and Spiritual Guide
LeeAnn Kendall’s passion is helping people connect with their innate goodness. She’s been on a conscious spiritual journey for more than half her life and practices and teaches yoga. She first discovered this thing called self-care while earning a Master’s Degree in Spiritual Psychology at the University of Santa Monica.
Her prompted journal, “Self-Care 101, 30 Days to 101 Ways of Self-Care” guides you to uncover 101 ways of self-care. Follow her on Facebook and Instagram and check out her early morning photography. She loves sunrise and just about everything to do with the ocean. LeeAnn lives in St. Augustine, FL with her husband Steve.