Although it seems simple, self care is not always easy to start, and even more challenging to maintain. One of the less obvious reasons for this is that it’s helpful to know what you need before you get started. Knowing what you need requires listening to yourself and your body, reflecting on yourself and your life challenges. What are the patterns you keep repeating? What are the thoughts you have about yourself? Which relationships frustrate you the most? What are your triggers? Do you have physical symptoms (trouble sleeping, eczema, headaches, neck pain, back pain, etc)? Answering some of these questions can begin to give some insight into what your body, mind & spirit need to grow and to be in more harmony.
The purpose of a self care ritual is to care for yourself, be good to yourself, and make efforts to keep or restore your body, mind & spirit harmony. And there are so many types of self care rituals which can support this. One of the biggest challenges that I’ve found clients have is ‘making time for themselves.’ In order to maintain a self care ritual, you have to create space in your agenda for it. It needs to become part of your daily routine and as important as buying groceries or taking the kids to school.
Some initial considerations for maintaining your self care ritual:
- Choose a time of the day when it is easiest to implement: i.e. an herbal tea before breakfast, a yoga nidra before getting out of bed or going to bed
- Start by adding one thing at a time and monitor its effect
- Make it sacred by committing to do it at least 4 times a week
We’ve tried to make self care a little easier by bringing products together to suit a particular need.
- Talking to someone you trust about what's making you anxious could be a relief.
- Try to manage your worries by focusing on something which gives you energy
- Look after your physical health by changing habits which deplete energy
- Try breathing exercises
- Keep a diary or journal to document thoughts or changes in mood
- Complementary and alternative therapies can help to