There’s no such thing as taking too good care of yourself. 

Our everyday lives can get pretty demanding. So much so that we forget or neglect to make time for ourselves and our needs. When we neglect to take care of ourselves, our relationships can suffer, our stress and anxiety levels can reach record heights and our quality of life can significantly decrease. On the flip side, when we nurture our needs, our performance, relationships and general well being vastly improves. In this article we’ll offer some simple self-care tips that you can implement in your day-to-day life whether you’re dealing with perfectionism or your usual demands. 

Reevaluate the way you do things

There are plenty of activities we need to do daily, that we actually really don’t enjoy. Some people love washing dishes, while others really don’t enjoy the task and get frustrated with the repetitive, recurring task. But why can’t you be someone who enjoys the activity? 

The thing is, you can. 

Instead of channeling a frustrated energy into some task, why not choose to look at it through a different lens? So for instance, in the case of washing dishes, how about enjoying the sensations of the warm water, or taking the time to pay attention to the present moment, rather than sending your thoughts to all the things you could be doing, or should be doing? Transform the way you think and behave during one daily task, and then, after two weeks, implement that new lens onto another task - the possibilities are endless.  

Change Your Routine

Make small changes to your routine, whether it’s picking a new route to work, or a new mode for getting around; small changes can have a big impact on our minds and the way we feel. Maybe you can ride a bicycle to work, or get out of the train or bus early to walk a few extra minutes. Or, instead of jumping out of bed and heading straight to the coffee machine, what about taking 5 minutes every morning to write down what you’re feeling, a dream you had, or what you’d like to do in the following hours to feel good in your body and mind?

Make Adjustments to Your Diet 

The foods we eat impact the way we think and feel. 

Take out some ingredient from your diet that you know isn’t good for you, your skin, your digestion or your cognition and replace it with some ingredient that is. Try it today and then decide if you want to try it again the next day. Take small steps, one day at a time. There’s no need to take on these overarching changes. Make small changes and evaluate how they make you feel when you make healthy choices for yourself and the strength you have to resist less-healthy choices. 

And who knows? Maybe when we make healthier choices in the foods we eat, we can make healthier choices in other areas of our lives too! 

Do You Realize When You’re Feeling Stressed?

How do you recognize when you’re feeling under attack or under stress? Do you mindlessly accelerate that feeling without giving yourself the chance to take a deep breath, to take a step back or to protect yourself from the external chaotic situation? If you can start paying attention to what triggers you, to how your body is responding to a certain situation, like rapid breathing, sweating, dry mouth, etc. and you pay attention to those cues, then slowly you can teach and train yourself how to be a little bit more calm each time a stressful situation presents itself. Whether it’s while you’re on the road driving in traffic, on a phone call, in a confrontation with a friend or colleague, you can train your minds to respond differently, and to slowly learn to react the ways you wish you would have reacted after the fact. 

Final Thoughts

We don’t need to make a list of all the areas in our lives that need ‘refurbishing.’ That can feel really overwhelming. And when dealing with perfectionism, that can feel 3x more overwhelming. Try to find areas in your life where you feel comfortable making changes, where you know you can succeed, and through those small successes, you can build up the confidence to start generating a new outlook on yourself, your needs and what you are capable of. Small alterations can have a much greater impact than you may have imagined!

More Blog Post’s you’ll Enjoy

The Value of Relaxing and Taking a Break to Live a Better, Healthier and more Productive Life

How Stress Directly Affects the Body

The Importance of Sleep and Its Effect on Your Mood, Mental Health and Body

Relatable Podcast Episodes you’ll Enjoy from: It Didn’t Break Me Podcast

Breaking the Idea of Being A Strong Black Woman with Cafria Hart

Harnessing the Power of Mindset with Michelle Wolfe

The Journey to Be Your Own Kind with Regina Betts

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