Focus on Your Body to Boost Your Self-care

With all of the stress, trauma, and excitement of the last few weeks, have you taken time to assess how you're taking care of yourself and give your routine a boost? Intentionally and regularly checking in with yourself can help you notice what you're feeling, pay attention to what you need, and take care of yourself before you experience symptoms of burnout. And when you're not sure how to reduce your anxiety or bring yourself back to center, focusing on your body can ease you into the answers.

According to my friends over at Women Connected in Wisdom, physical wellness is the ability to maintain a quality of life that allows you to thrive in your daily activities without undue fatigue or physical stress. Physical wellness recognizes that our daily choices, habits, and behaviors have an impact on our overall health, well-being, and quality of life.

When we take care of our bodies, it can have a dramatic effect on our mental and emotional health as well. Starting with our physical self-care can give the rest of our self-care plan a boost.

Think about the following:

• Are you getting enough quality sleep? Are you sleeping enough hours and getting enough REM sleep? If not, what can you do to improve the quality of your sleep? In my online community, Inspired by Indigo, last month we talked about creating a nighttime routine that would set you up for success in the morning. We listed things like:
  • using aromatherapy and sound to trigger a sleep response. Try using the same scent or song before you go to bed to help relax you. Your body will learn that the scent and sound mean sleep and will automatically relax.
  • Turning off electronics and doing something analog before bed like coloring or crocheting.
• Is your diet giving your body what it needs? Eating more whole foods, drinking more water, and cutting out sugar go a long way towards building health.
  • You don’t have to go full organic/vegetarian/vegan (I’m not) to feel better. Reducing or cutting out sugar or increasing your water will have major benefits.
• Are you taking charge of your health?
  • Are you making (and keeping) your preventive healthcare appointments?
  • Are you making healthy choices for yourself or waiting for a doctor or some other authority to take charge?
• Are you getting enough exercise? You may not be ready for intense cardio, but maybe you can do some light stretching.
  • Try some backwards bends after hunching over the computer all day.
  • Focus on your breathing throughout the day and remember to breathe from your belly instead of in your chest.
  • Walking has major benefits, so take a stroll or power walk during your breaks. Or walk first thing in the morning to set the tone for the day!

Beginning or restarting with the physical is often the easiest way to ease into your self-care journey. With realistic goals (like reducing stress and anxiety, staying hydrated, or being well-rested), it’s often easy to feel the benefits pretty quickly.