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Self Love Through Self Care
While getting ready for my first ever Zumba (Latin aerobic dance) class, I caught a few minutes of minutes of Oprah. Oprah was talking about her addiction to food and was emphasizing the importance of self-love. She discovered that it was her lack of self-love which caused her to get out of balance and overeat. The Zumba class really emphasized the theme of self-love and self-care. If you are reading this you are a giver, just like Oprah and me (grins). All givers are required to give to themselves first. If not, the result is unbalanced living, burnout, and loss of life-force. Here are several ways to maintain balance and stay energized so that you can continue to give your very best.
Devise a self-care plan – Even if you don’t write it down and schedule it out, you must have a plan for how you are going to take care of yourself. It will help to identify and make note of the key things you which help you stay balanced, such as healthy meals, types of exercise, and rituals. Some things will be done according to a schedule and others will be more like tools which you will use when you feel yourself getting stressed or out of balance. An example of a tool would be a nap in the afternoon.
Include the Body, Mind and Spirit – Your self-care plan must be holistic and comprehensive. Make sure you identify activities and tools which take care of all aspects of yourself. For instance, you may want to take an exercise class or get massage for your body, read stimulating books or articles for your mind, and engage in prayer or meditation for your spirit. Whatever you decide to do to take care of each aspect of yourself, make sure it fits with your interests and lifestyle.
Schedule self-care activities in advance – When I had my massage therapy business, I encouraged clients to book their appointments ahead. In my opinion it was just part of good self-care. Scheduling your activities (even time off) in advance helps you create a routine where you regularly give to yourself. This may be easy when you’re taking an exercise class which meets every Monday and Wednesday. You show up because the routine has already be set for you. It may be more difficult, to be self-responsible and take the initiative to book appointments for thingswhich are just for you. Often this is where the self-care plan breaks down. booking the massage appointment, or even a day off may seem like you are taking time away from giving to someone else. Of course, the contrary is true. The less you give to yourself, the less you have to give others. The simple gesture of setting up activities in advance sends the message to you that you make yourself a priority in your life.
Do something for yourself daily – Just like scheduling self-care activities in advance, you send a message to yourself that you are important when you make a point to do something from your self care plan everyday. Ideally, self-care should be a way of life, which includes the way you eat, sleep, and deal with yourself and others. But if you aren’t in the habit of putting yourself first, identify one thing that you can do for yourself everyday. Do that one thing until it becomes routine and then add another thing, and then another. Before you know it you will have achieved balance and self-love through self-care.
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