Today, I want to talk about the 5 Reasons Why You Should Practice Self Care. I know, I know, the word “should” isn’t typically in my vocabulary either… but the reality is, Self Care is a should! It’s a must! It’s an absolute necessity! If you want to lead a happy, healthy, loving, balanced, joy-filled life, that is. If not, no worries. You can stop reading now. But if you do want a Delightfully Whole life, then read on…
1. Your children are watching. Did you ever hear “Do as I say, not as I do!” as a kid? I sure did. But you know what rings even more true for me? The notion that actions speak louder than words. If you value yourself and make efforts to take care of yourself, your children will learn to value themselves, too. Do you want to teach your kids the values of overwork, sacrifice and burnout or do you want to teach them balance, joy and self-responsibility?
2. You will be a nicer person to be around. Think about it…if you work too many hours, don’t get enough sleep, eat at fast food restaurants, are hyped up on coffee and constantly on the go, you are not a very nice person. Irritable, cranky, short-tempered with very little patience. (Surely I’m not the only one who gets this way?) But when you get plenty of sleep, eat healthy foods, balance work and play and carve out some down time for a walk, reading and/or time with loved ones, you’re a pretty happy person. Fun to be around, enjoying your life. That’s attractive to your friends, your loved ones and your colleagues. It’s a win-win!
3. You will be healthier. If you take care of your mind, body and spirit, you will decrease your stress and increase your happiness which has a positive effect on your health. If you make conscious choices to practice self-loving acts, you will make healthier choices in general. It may be great to pig out on pizza and chocolate cake on occasion, but if you do it too often, your body feels terrible, right? If you choose instead to eat healthy proteins and lots of veggies with maybe some fruit for dessert (oh, ok, maybe a bit of a chocolate truffle!), your body feels light, energetic and ready to rock-n-roll! The more you make healthy choices, the better you feel, the more you’ll want to make healthy choices. It’s an upward spiral of health and happiness!
4. You will be more productive. A well-rested, well-fueled body is a clear minded one. When you are clear minded, you can focus on the tasks at hand, accomplish more in a shorter period and feel good about all the items you check off your to-do list. If you are more productive with work and chores, you’ll have more free time for fun, family and… oh yeah… more self care. Wahoo!
5. God wants you to. I believe that God/Creator/Spirit put us on this Earth to enjoy life, to learn and to grow. Part of that comes from space, rest and time to BE. Spending time with loved ones is critical as is meditating, praying and strengthening our connection with Spirit. The more we are in touch with our spiritual lives, the quieter we get and then we are able to hear that small, still voice inside that is oh so wise and can guide us on when to rest, slow down and enjoy life a bit more.
Inspired Action: Be honest with yourself. Are you practicing self-care at all? As well as you could be? If not, then I’d love to help. Join the community of women that is forming for the Smart Self Care E-course which starts Monday September 22nd. You’ll get inspired, get support and get started on your journey to self care right away!