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Do any of these statements sound familiar? “It’s easy to help others. It’s hard to do for myself.” “I barely have time for myself.” “I feel guilty taking time for myself." "I rarely prioritize time for me." I hear this from so many clients. Why is it so hard to schedule ourselves in our day?

 

Imagine talking to a good friend who wants to take more time for himself/herself but is struggling to do it. What advice would you give him/her? We need to treat ourselves like that good friend and carve out time to do something we enjoy. It doesn’t have to be big. It can be something simple but ours. Caring for ourselves isn’t a luxury. It's a necessity. It benefits us emotionally, physically, spiritually and mentally. It impacts our health, our families and communities. Imagine a society where we took care of ourselves, focusing on nourishing and nurturing ourselves like one would do for a child or friend. Here are a few self care ideas:​

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• Eat regularly

• Exercise

• Get regular medical care for prevention

• Take time off when sick

• Get massages

• Do fun, physical activities (dance, swim, walk, sports, sing)

• Get enough sleep

• Journal

• Read

• Take a day trip

• Laugh

• Play with kids, pets 

• Spend time in nature 

• Meditate

• Pray

• Allow yourself to cry

• Say no to extra responsibilities 

• Practice receiving from others