Starting a Self-Care routine doesn’t have to be a life overhaul, nor does it have to be complicated. The key to starting a self-care routine is to do what works best for you while incorporating the things you like to do. Below I will walk you through an outline you can use to begin a self-care routine from scratch and follow it up with some tips to help get you started!
Simple Self-Care Daily Outline
Morning:
Get your mind right by meditating or journaling and drink some water within the first 30 minutes of the day. You’ll be spending the rest of the day servicing the needs of others, the least you can do is give yourself 30 minutes. Try to also do this without your phone to where you’re able to hear your inner voice clearly.
Think about your top 3 priorities of the day and make a plan of action. We often overestimate what we can do in a day thinking that we have to take on the world. We don’t. Pick the top 3 things that you need to get done throughout the day, plan out how to accomplish them, do the things, and then everything else is icing on the cake.
Throughout the Day:
Incorporate at least 30 minutes of physical activity into your day. This can be in the morning, afternoon, or evening, whatever works best for you. By incorporating physical activity into your routine you’re able to reap all the benefits to your overall health while also making sure that you’re taking care of your bodily self-care.
Celebrate the small wins you have and recognize the accomplishments of others. The more you celebrate and spot the wins that are going on around you the more you will soon have to celebrate for yourself. Got a great parking spot? YAY! Your friend got a promotion? HECK YES! There are many reasons to celebrate if you look for them.
Evening:
Reflect on your day. Often we go to bed only thinking of all the things we have to do the next day. By reflecting on the day you just experienced you’re able to be present in the moment and make adjustments as needed for your future by raising your awareness. You’ll soon be able to recognize patterns and come up with answers you wouldn’t have without reflection.
Practice gratitude. In a journal or even out loud say at least 3 things that you were grateful for throughout the day. These can be big or small things, people or experiences, whatever you’d like but make it a habit of practicing gratitude before bed and ending your day on a high note.
Tips On Getting Started
Now that you have a simple self-care outline that you can incorporate throughout your day, you also probably have habits that you’ve been wanting to implement or change. In doing so here are some tips on adding them into your routine:
1) Start Small - Pick something you've been wanting to do and get one step closer to it each day.
2) Be Flexible - Having clear expectations is great, but be open and flexible towards how your journey can unfold in front of you. It's supposed to be fun! Don't be afraid to go outside of your comfort zone!
3) Seek Accountability - We all know what our personal "shoulds" are and if we did them on our own we wouldn't need help, but if you feel you could benefit from accountability, seek it out! It never hurts to reach out to someone who has done what you want to do.
4) Give Yourself Grace - Whenever you're doing something new for the first time, there's bound to be some bumps in the road. Expect them and when they come, move over them quickly, and remove any guilt along the way. You deserve to feel the same love that you give out to the world, unconditional.
5) Have Fun! - Your new Self-Care habits and routine are supposed to add to your life. You're getting to know yourself on a deeper level, getting closer to being who you want to be, and realizing your power along the way, have fun on this wonderful journey!
Starting your self-care routine may come with some challenges as you’re learning more about yourself and growing, but it is ultimately there to help you manage stress and for you to fall back on when things aren’t going so great. It will change over time and will be different for everyone meaning there is no right or wrong way to set up your routine. What’s important is that it works for you and serves your needs appropriately to where you’re able to grow into your best self.
If you need help developing your self-care routine or need additional support on your journey feel free to reach out to me at bybs@chelseameece.com or to join us in Self-Care Central, a clubhouse I created to be your one-stop-shop for ongoing self-care solutions HERE!
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