HOW TO: Care for yourself!

Hey my beauties! I hope you have all had a good week, and your weekends are going well :)

For this weeks post, I thought I'd do another one of my "how to" guides, this time on self care.

From:http://www.writehanded.org/

Self care is SOOOO important for anyone. How can you recover, how can you help others, how can you achieve your goals if you neglect yourself and your own needs? Answer: you cant!
So here's my little guide on how to properly care for yourself:

1) Make yourself a priority

From: http://www.gurl.com/

You deserve to look after yourself. You are worthy of self love! Accept that caring for yourself is NOT selfish or indulgent, it is simply an act of survival; so schedule in one night a week just for YOU! Forget all your troubles and stresses just for this one night, nothing else matters but YOU. Think about it like this, everything you do couldn't happen without you; so if you feel like other stuff is more important - IT'S NOT! All the other stuff doesn't even exist without you, so take this valuable time to make sure all your needs are met, physically and mentally. I promise you all the other stuff you have going on will be a whole lot easier to deal with if your mind and body are both content.  


2) Ask yourself what you NEED?

From: https://webflow.com/blog/

You need to figure out what you are missing right now; you need to ask yourself, "have I fulfilled all my needs?":

*Have you ate?
Make sure you've had a sufficient amount of food for the energy you've exerted today. Listen to your body - is it craving anything? Make sure you are nourished.

*Are you hydrated?
Drinking 2-3 liters of water a day helps combat fatigue, makes your skin glow and helps digestion. Your body is 90% water so make sure you keep it fresh and topped up by sipping that H2O!

*Have you had enough sleep?
Ideally you need 7-8 hours of sleep per night, but I know this is a lot harder than it first seems! 
Ensure you allow your mind some down time at least, if you are unable to get sufficient sleep. Relaxation is SO important! 

*Have you took care of your hygiene needs?
Have a shower or bath, make sure you have clean clothes, brush your teeth morning and night and wash your face. It seems so simple but you will feel so much better for doing it!

*Have you rewarded yourself for your achievements today?
However big or small they may be, you are amazing and you achieve amazing things, so recognise that. Give yourself a pat on the back, treat yourself! 



3) RELAX

From: http://popkey.co/m

If you're like me you may find it really hard to switch off your mind at the end of the day! But relaxation is SO SO important, it reduces stress and increases productivity and creativity. So we do need to try our best to relax every now and again. 

Here are a few of my tips:

*Mindfulness meditation:

I'm sure you have all heard of mindfulness? I know I mentioned mindfulness in my last "how to" as well but I do just think it is such a valuable technique to learn and practice!

So mindfulness meditation involves sitting or lying in a quiet space where you wont be disturbed. You train your mind to focus on the here and now rather than letting it worry about all the other things going on in the world. I like to think of it as my way of hitting the pause button, stopping the world from spinning for just a little. I've found it results in better sleep and a better appreciation and connection to your body and all of its needs. I would recommend using the Calm app (website link in my Helpful links page) if you're just getting into this kind of thing, there is a "7 days of calm" sequence that will guide you through all the techniques. 

*Yoga:
Another way I like to relax is by practicing yoga. I just find it takes your mind off everything and puts your focus again on the here and now. I also find it really helps you appreciate your body and what it can do. I know it sounds cheesy, but since yoga is about creating space, I feel like by practicing it regularly you clear out all the negativity, creating space for new positivity. Also this method of relaxing is really good if you're like me and prefer to be moving, as it allows you to move about, stretches your muscles and rids your body of any tension. I would really recommend checking out the YouTube channel "yoga with Adriene" if this is something you are interested in trying out, by far my fave online yogi!   

4) Do something you LOVE

From: http://bestanimations.com/

Make sure you make time for your hobbies and interests! Doing things you love is also a good way yo relax and is a form of mentally taking care of yourself. Life is a careful balance of work, rest and play; the work part tends to take care of its self, and we've just talked all about how to relax so the next step is making sure you schedule in time for your hobbies!
My main hobby is running so I always make sure is schedule in time for at least two runs during the week, this really helps me chill out after a busy day at work and just takes my mind off all life's little dramas for a bit. Some times I even get the perfect solution to a tricky problem pop into my head when I'm out running, taking your mind off everything for a little does really help!
I also love my animals and it makes me really happy to spend time with them. I always schedule in Sunday afternoons to spend time at the stables with my beloved pony and to walk my dog.  
It doesn't matter what the activity is, it even doesn't have to be outside; it could be something as simple as reading a book or meeting up with a supportive friend for coffee. But whatever it is, make sure you spare some time to do what you love! 


So there we have it guys, my "how to" guide on self care! I hope you find it helpful, but as always, everyone is different so put your own spin on the steps and see what works for you! 

Stay fabulous my beauties! 
Love Becky
XOXO