5 self care tips to ignite your glow
Caring for yourself is one of the best things you can do, not only for yourself, but also for those you love. When we care for ourselves, we are healthier, happier and have so much more to give.
By incorporating just a few small changes into your daily routine, you’ll start to enjoy more peace, happiness and enjoyment, which will carry over into other areas of your life as well.
Nourish Your Body
If there is one change you can make to benefit your amazing body, it is to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet. These nutritious plants are packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants, providing your body with much needed nutrition and protection of your cells from free radicals, which may lower your risk of heart disease, cancer and other diseases.
In addition to nourishing foods, our bodies need healthy amounts of water to function optimally. Proper hydration aids in digestion, regulation of body temperature, flushing the body of toxins, providing energy, aiding in weight loss and much more. A general rule of thumb is to drink at least ½ of your body weight in ounces each day. However, activity level and climate play a role in your body’s needs as well.
Be Kind to Yourself
Begin to notice any negative self talk that may be happening in your mind and start replacing it with the opposite. For example, if you find yourself saying “I’m not good enough” or “I’ll never succeed”, replace it with “I am good enough”, “I am deserving”, “I will succeed”, “I am succeeding”. At first it may feel odd, but with a little practice it will begin to feel more natural, and with each correction, you will retrain your mind to think positive thoughts instead of negative thoughts. Regardless of your past, your potential is limitless. You truly are good enough and you are absolutely deserving of all of you desire.
Honor Your Yes and No
So many times we do things we don’t want to do simply to please others. Yet in doing so we are ignoring our truth and desires, which sends us the message that our needs and wants don’t matter, when in reality, they matter very much. Start taking your power back by exercising the muscle of honoring yourself. Tune into your true feelings the next time you are asked to do something you don’t want to do, and begin to honor yourself by being honest yet kind and firm with others. Some initial kick back is to be expected, but know that people will come around eventually and most likely respect you more for being true to yourself.
Incorporate Movement in Your Day
Our bodies were made to move. Yet many of us are spending most of our days sitting. While going to the gym may not be for everyone, there are other ways to incorporate movement into your day. It can be as simple as walking more, taking the stairs, having a dance party at home, doing jumping jacks or air jump rope. It doesn’t have to be a big production, and the best things to do are the things you enjoy, so you will continue doing it going forward. So have fun with it! And when possible, do it outside while soaking in the sun and taking in the beauty and healing of nature.
Limit Negativity
Instead of tuning into the news multiple times per day or participating in gossip, limit your news viewing to once a day, slowly working to limit it even more, such as once a week. When caught in gossip, refrain from commenting, try changing the subject or walk away. Prior to making these changes, notice how you feel when you are watching the news or caught up in gossip, then make a note of how things begin to change as your habits change.
Another way to squash negativity is to focus on all that you are grateful for on a daily basis; first thing in the morning, throughout the day and prior to sleep, all things big and small, knowing that what you focus on grows.
You are Meant to Glow!
So glow! Take care of yourself and gradually begin to nourish yourself, honoring your desires, and tuning into your needs and truth. You matter, and it is in taking care of yourself that you will have more energy and love to give to those who matter to you.
By: Susan Schutt
Susan Schutt is a Health and Wellness Coach at Mindful Living with Susan. She empowers individuals with a family history of disease trump genetics, thrive naturally, and age gracefully through a holistic approach, focusing on mind, body and soul. Together with her clients, they conquer limiting beliefs and old behaviors, customize a food and movement menu that is right for them, and evolves their soul through building a healthier relationship with themselves.
