6 Simple Self-Care Best Practices for a Healthy Mind & Body

Let’s be honest friends, we all scroll through social media looking for ways to become a better version of ourselves and instead we make ourselves feel less worthy than when we started. The first rule is to STOP DOING THIS! I personally know how easy it is to get caught up in the glamor Instagram shows, but that is simply Marketing & Advertising to sell you something. No one life, body or marriage is perfect so instead of striving for perfection, we need to strive for happiness. Below I am giving you the 6 best practices I believe every woman should follow in order to be content, happy and mindful of both their body & mind.
 
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5 BEST PRACTICES

Simplify Your Nutrition Habits – start by picking 2-3 breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks that are not only healthy but that you love. Rotate them throughout your week so you have fewer choices and meals to prep. Yes, I said prep. Prepping food is the best way to live a healthy lifestyle. See my weekly food prep 101 blog post for more information about the basics of meal prepping. By simplifying your nutrition, you are allowing your body to be functioning at its best level. I know you’ve heard it, but you are what you eat. If you eat crap, you’ll feel like crap! So don’t eat crap, at least not as your norm.
 
 
 
Pick a Weekly Activity that is 100% for YOU – this is not selfish to choose to do something that is only for you…it is called self-care. To have your mind and body aligned and feeling your best, you need to do activities that focus on just YOU. For example, set aside time weekly for yourself to workout by yourself, or to take a class or even just take a bath or read a book. No matter your interest, make sure you plan this weekly, stick with it and make it a priority. Don’t allow other things to bump it of the schedule. For me, my 100% me activity is working out a few times a week at our local YMCA. It is my “me time” and I look forward to it to clear my head. When I’m done with my workout I know I can be a better mom, wife, and friend to those around me.
 
 
Keep a Journal & Planner – this may seem trivial but writing down your thoughts, ideas, dreams, goals and so on in a daily journal is so important. It allows you to vent if you need to. It allows you to spend time focusing on your needs and wants. Most importantly it again is something that is for you.
Secondly, keep a planner. This can be in any format you choose, digital or on paper. I personally I have a journal that is also a planner that works best for me. It is a little pricey for the system but so worth it. Check it out here. Being organized in your daily life will reduce anxiety and stress levels. Plan, plan, plan!
 
 
 
Look at Yourself in the Mirror – no this isn’t to be vain. It is to truly look at yourself. Until you can look at yourself in the mirror and see the good, this is an activity you need to do often. Post positive affirmations around the mirror and recite them to yourself daily until you believe the words you are saying. This is something I did many years ago just after college and it literally saved my life. I was spiraling downward with an eating disorder and negative self-worth. This simple ritual, along with help from family, saved me from hurting myself any longer. And now that I am older, have had kids I can finally see the good when I look in the mirror. Stick with it.
 
 
Ask for Help – this is something I am guilty of not doing all the time. I’ve always been so independent that I forget sometimes that it’s ok to ask for help or ask for a break. My husband has to push me out the door to go have a girls day/night with my friends because he knows that I never ask for a break. Best husband ever, am I, right ladies?! Asking for help doesn’t make you weak, it makes you that much stronger. Remember that!
 
 
 
 
Incorporate Fitness Into Your Life Daily – Fitness doesn’t necessarily mean you need to dedicate a full hour at the gym daily, it just means you need to dedicate time daily to be active. Do squats while you brush your teeth, do situps during commercials, etc. Don’t get me wrong, it is important for your body to exercise for dedicated times at least a few times per week, but the other days incorporate it in different ways like; walking your dog, hiking with your kids, swimming at a lake after work and so on.
With a little bit of attention to your own self-care, the fog will lift. You’ll start to feel more connected to yourself and to others around you. You’ll feel delighted by small pleasures and once daunting tasks won’t seem as difficult as it did before. A good comparison is a car; if you keep yourself tuned up along the way, you won’t need a complete overhaul later. Incorporate a few self-care ideas into your daily life to keep yourself in tune. Which one of these ideas do you want to try first? Comment below.