At a recent meeting of the National Speakers Association Houston Chapter, we were given some excellent advice by seasoned speakers who were all past presidents of the organization. As I jotted down their bits of wisdom, it dawned on me that their advice is universal–it applies not only to building and sustaining a speaking business, but it applies to almost any aspect of your life that you want to excel at.
Improving your health. Being a good parent. Cultivating a loving relationship. Tackling a creative project. Caring for aging parents. Managing your finances. Organizing your environment.
And then of course, there’s self-care!
Which, in my humble opinion, is the foundation for ALL of those other fabulous life goals. So here are 5 bits of wisdom to help you stay the course with your self-care!
1. Be persistent. This reminds me of the old phrase “When the going gets tough, the tough get going. ” One of the common things that I hear from the women in my community is how easy it is to get derailed on the self care journey. You may have the best intentions in the world, but life happens and it’s easy to go off course quickly. But what’s even harder, is getting back on track.
Boy, don’t I know that one? I had plantar fasciitis last year that sidelined me from my regular zumba classes for over 9 months. It has taken me another three months to try to ramp up my exercise routine again now that my foot can handle it. I can’t tell you how many times I have fallen off the wagon. But I keep trying and have finally found something that is working for me. (Exercise videos in my living room–not nearly as fun and social as a class at the gym, but I’m more likely to fit it into my busy schedule between running my business, caring for my daughter and caring for my ill mother.)
And because I was persistent, I am finally feeling better again (thanks to my regular exercise routine!)
2. Be consistent. Sometimes you can get so excited about a new self-care idea that you invest time and money up front, but then you never follow through on making that initiative a part of your life. For example, have you ever…
- Taken a meditation class…but then never meditated again on your own?
- Bought a journal…and it’s still collecting dust on the shelf?
- Gotten a great new workout outfit… and it’s still sitting in your drawer?
- Purchased an online course… but then never followed through to actually participate?
If any of this sounds familiar to you, it’s time to reevaluate your consistency. The key to maintaining your energy, inspiration, health and positive attitude is setting yourself up for success with consistent practices that feed your mind, body and spirit. So just like you shower every day (or most every day!) and brush your teeth and eat three meals (Hopefully!) a day…. Remember, if it’s not in your schedule, it’s not in your life! What practices can you do consistently that will support your foundation of self-care?
3. Stay connected. Seek out support and encouragement of friends who are on a similar path with their self-care. Spend time with your buddies at yoga class, cook with mom friends who also want to make nutritious meals for their kiddos or join a meditation group online with a master teacher like Deepak Chopra!
Or if you want more 1:1 support, hire a coach or personal trainer or talk to your best friend for more accountability. The more you talk to other people about your goals, dreams and plans, the more likely you are to stay the course, to be both persistent and consistent, and achieve what you set out to accomplish.
4. Diversify. People often associate this concept with finances and investments. Business owners are familiar with this idea to make sure that they incorporate multiple streams of income in their business model. But variety is vital for your self-care, too – you’ve got to mix it up a little with the activities and strategies that nourish and feed you.
If you do the same yoga poses every morning, or walk at the exact same route in your neighborhood or make the same five dinners week after week, you are going to get into a rut. BORING!
The more variety you can introduce, the more committed you become to the process. Also, you need different things at different times. You may come home from work and be absolutely exhausted. One day, you may simply need to go for a run to get the endorphins flowing. But the next day, you may really just need to come home and grab a 20 minute catnap to revitalize your energy.
Change it up and see how that inspires you.
5. Do what works for you. This may be the most important piece of advice of all. In our noisy world, there are so many voices vying for our attention. Do this! Try that!
You may have a friend who is a runner and who swears by running. Another friend may have turned vegetarian and is reaping incredible health benefits and says “Everyone should do this! ” Someone else may have gotten into the essential oil craze and swear up-and-down it’s the only medicine you’ll ever need.
Please don’t jump on the latest fads because someone else said you should. I’m all for trying new things, but whatever you do, make sure that your self-care choices fit with your values, your personality and your deep needs.
Revitalizing Actions: Take these questions to your journal, chat with a good friend or send me an email and let me know what bubbles up!
- How can you be more persistent with your self-care goals?
- Where can you be more consistent in your self-care routine?
- What connections do you want to deepen or initiate to support your self-care goals?
- Where are you in a rut and where can you diversify?
- What self-care activity or perspective can you claim that works perfectly for you?
Here’s to staying the course!
Elizabeth