So now that January is almost over, how are you doing with those New Year’s resolutions?
Yeah, I thought so…
One of the biggest challenges with visioning is that we often have an idea of what we want, but we are not sure what tools we need to get there.
For example, when I think about decorating my home, I can see in my mind’s eye how I want it to look. Hanging artwork on the walls, reducing clutter, painting an accent wall, choosing a new fabric for drapes…
But what I often forget to think about is… What are the tools that I need to make this happen? Paint and a paintbrush and drop cloths… Hammer and nails and picture wire… Bins for trash, recycling, and donation…
You see where I’m going with this?
Every goal or vision requires tools to support the manifestation from dream into reality!
If you have set some self care goals for yourself this year, here are some practical and helpful tools to help support you and making your vision a reality…
1. A self care list. You are the only one who can make your own self care list. Because the truth is, we all need different things to feel like we are taking care of ourselves. There are literally hundreds of things you could put on your list but I’d encourage you to pick 10 to start. Actions like hiking in the woods, dancing to your favorite music, savoring a soothing cup of tea, journaling about your feelings, sitting in silence and meditating, luxuriating in a bubble bath or scheduling a lunch date with a friend. Here are a few great articles to give you some inspiration about self care strategies from Tiny Buddha, The Mighty, and Psychology Today. Once you have created your Self Care Top Ten, hang your list someplace you can see it regularly (fridge, office, closet!) and remind yourself to schedule these into your life on a regular basis. Speaking of scheduling…
2. A calendar. If it’s not in your schedule, it’s not in your life! I cannot emphasize this point enough. If you start blocking out time every week, month, and quarter for self care, you’ll be amazed at how much more productive you’ll be and how much less stressed you will feel. Ask yourself: What do I want to do for self care (Refer to your list from above!) and how much time do I want to allot? Grab your calendar right now and schedule it!
3. Virtual workout support. Most professional women that I know really struggle to fit in exercise with their busy lives. Between work, commuting, kids, volunteer work, and everything else that needs to be done, exercise tends to fall further down on the list. One solution that I have found very helpful on days when I don’t have time for a full workout (either an exercise class or a long walk) is to tap into online fitness classes. Two of my favorites are www.mommastrong.com (only $2 a month! Seriously? Seriously! With 15 minute workouts – easy and fun!) and www.yogawithadriene.com.
4. Self care on speed dial (aka your BFF or your sister or whoever will tell it to you straight!) You need at least one friend who will tell you when to slow down, reassess or take things off your plate. Many friends will be supportive and say things like “You’re strong, you can handle it, I believe in you.” Which is great… sometimes. Other times, when Life has gotten out of control, you need a friend to give you some straight talk and say “I love you. I see how hard you are working. But you’re about to have a meltdown. Let’s be proactive and avoid that, shall we? So what do you need to take off your plate, STAT?”
5. Retreats. If you’ve followed my work, you know that I’m a big believer in retreats. A retreat can be anything that helps you to remove yourself from ordinary life (work, parenting, or any other responsibilities!) for an hour, a day, a weekend, or longer. It could be sitting under a tree on a blanket on a warm sunny day for an hour. It could be scheduling a Friday afternoon once a month for “me time”. Or it could be going on a weekend retreat with your favorite coach! (Hint hint… my next retreat is April 7-9th on Galveston Island, Texas!) Not sure what kind of retreat you need now? Here are some ideas to help you plan your next retreat…
Revitalizing Action: Which of these tools are you going to put in YOUR self care tool box? One or ALL of them?
- If you make a list, tell me what’s on your list!
- If you grab your calendar, let me know what you’re committing to.
- If you try one of those virtual workouts (or if you have another one to recommend to me!), let me know how it goes.
- If you have a friend who will set you straight, call her and thank her for being that friend to you.
- And if you plan a retreat for yourself or decide to go on retreat with me in April, (I promise you’ll feel restored and revitalized!) I want to celebrate with you!
Email me anytime for support, inspiration or to share aha’s!
Here’s to simple tools to support your smart self care!
Elizabeth