Self love series – 5 best ways to properly Self-Care

Are you really giving yourself enough self care and attention?

It’s important to show compassion and kindness for others, but we often don’t treat ourselves with that same level of kindness. One of the best things that we can do for our minds and bodies is to take a break and remember that we are worthy of love and feeling good!

Self-care is a form of self-love, and it’s so important as it’s all about FEELING really good and looking after your needs.

For some people, adding self-care into your daily routine can seem totally inconvenient, or even intimidating. Your first thought might be “I don’t have time for that,” or “I have too many other things to do.” But by always putting the needs of others before our own, it can lead to a lack of “me time,” which can create stress and resentment and prevent us from being our best selves.

Research shows that adding self-care into your daily routine can reduce stress, decrease the chance of mental and physical problems, increase productivity, and create feelings of happiness. By giving ourselves more compassion, we’re able to approach our work and relationships with a clear, happy mind, therefore allowing the cycle of positivity to continue and prosper.

My 5 Best Ways to Care More for Yourself:

1. Eat healthily and mindfully.

All too often we eat our meals while multitasking, or we eat out of habit or boredom. This then stops us from experiencing a purely nourishing meal to love and respect our bodies, which creates a disconnect. Would you work on your computer whilst having dinner with a loved one? Treat yourself with that same level of respect and kindness, and allow yourself to indulge in your meal without any distractions. This helps you to connect more with your body, as it would allow you to connect more with a loved one when you give them your full attention.

2. Keep track of your accomplishments.

While creating a “to-do” list is very useful, we must also recognise the things we’ve done as it can help boost your self-esteem. At the end of the day, make a list (either mentally, or ideally, write it out) of the productive things you’ve done that day. Did you nurture a relationship? Do the laundry? Complete a work assignment? No matter how small, you deserve to give yourself a pat on the back. Hopefully, it’ll make you realise you’ve achieved more than you thought! I find it useful to combine this with writing down what I’m grateful for…

3. Express gratitude.

Not only is it beneficial to keep track of what we’ve done, it’s also good to notice what we have in our lives to feel grateful for. Keep a gratitude journal by your bed, and write in it the things that you feel lucky or thankful for. Everything from clean bedding to a good friend is worth writing about. The more you write down, the easier it’ll become. Start with writing down what you’re grateful for achieving in your day. If you don’t feel like you’ve done much, think about even little things like being thankful for sunshine, or being able to make a cup of tea! When you focus on what you’re grateful for, you will start to see more of the positives in everyday situations.

4. Get Moving.

What people say about exercise and endorphins is true; getting active increases your happiness. But this doesn’t mean you need to go to the gym if you don’t like the gym! You need to find a form of physical activity that you enjoy and makes you feel really good. Stick some good tunes on and enjoy dancing around the living room. Enjoy a Saturday morning stroll in nature, or go on a bike ride. Even doing the vacuum cleaning with good music in your ears can make it more enjoyable! Choose to enjoy movement/exercise and not see it as a chore.

5. Switch off.

Unplug from social media, switch off your phone for a bit. Facebook and Instagram have lots of benefits, but notice how it really makes you feel to scroll through your newsfeed. Does it really make you feel good to see everyone’s online versions of themselves? Most often people only show their success and the good stuff in their life. So you can find yourself comparing your entire life to everyone’s highlight reels, which isn’t reality. Take the time to break away from social media, and allow yourself to focus on the beauty in your life.

And lastly…

If all else fails then you can fill a basket with some of the things that make you feel special. It could be nail polish, a small chocolate treat, coconut lotion, treasured photos, or a new pair of socks. Put a load of your pick-me-ups in a pretty basket. Keep it in your bathroom or bedroom for when you need some extra love. Remember, by being your best self you’re able to share those amazing feelings with those around you and they will also benefit from it.

Just watch how your life becomes happier just by focussing on you and how you treat and care for yourself.

Many thanks for checking out my 5 best ways to self-care!

If you need more help to love and care for yourself more, please book a free consultation with me – I’m a Body Confidence and Wellbeing Coach, as well as a portrait photographer. I’d love to help you become the best version of you!

If you’d love to find out more about my photoshoot experiences, click here!

Thanks so much for taking the time to read this Blog – please do let me know if it’s helped you in any way.

Ginny x