Although it may not feel like it here in sunny Florida, the first official day of fall is September 23rd. This ninth month of the year can be a busy and stressful month for some. With the return of school and busy kids’ schedules, end of the year deadlines approaching, and even those reminders of “only 75 more days until Christmas” many people find themselves overwhelmed and exhausted. To prevent this, lets “love on ourselves.”
So, as we enter into this 9th month of the year, please consider the following 9 things to do for yourself (in no particular order)…
- Put the phone down (this is going to be a hard one for some). Being a slave to every ding, ring, tone, notification, post, etc. can be exhausting. Despite our best intentions, we get caught up in the comparison game. Everyone looks so put together on their carefully edited posts, however their kids have the same melt downs as ours, and their houses get just as messy. Also, hearing all the breaking news in real time is great for staying up on the world events but not so great for your mental health. SO UNPLUG a little.
- Sleep, Sleep, Sleep. All I can say about this is… get MORE of it. So many of us skimp on this vital need. A nap is a beautiful thing and we shouldn’t feel guilty about taking one. If you feel tired and have the ability to, sleep! This goes hand in hand with unplugging. How many people, the last thing they do before trying to fall asleep, is have their phones in their hands? Put down that phone and go to bed!
- Eat good food. Feed yourself good, nutritious foods that are fuel for your mind and body. I see so many busy people grabbing random quick snacks and calling them a meal or just skipping eating all together and grabbing an energy drink. It takes a little time and planning but it is so worth it. We make sure our dogs have grain free, organic, free range, all white meat chicken, with no corn or filler dog food while we exist on Red Bull and protein bars. Make time to eat well.
- Get physical. Oliva Newton John said it best in her 1981 hit, singing “Physical, lets get physical.” Whether you are a calm yoga/Pilates person or more of a Savage Race type, make time for exercise. This is usually the first thing to go when life gets busy. This shouldn’t be the case, since it is proven to be the best stress relief. Once again, it takes a little time and effort, but it’s well worth it.
- Spoil yourself. Whether it’s a facial, massage, or getting that Botox you have always wanted, if you have the funds treat yourself to a “pick me up.” Moms especially are known to forgo occasional special treats for themselves in order to keep the rest of the family up and running. Don’t feel bad about spending a little time and money on yourself. Feeling good about yourself will have a domino effect on the rest of your day or even week.
- Make time for relationships. Send that text asking to meet for coffee to that friend who leaves you feeling refreshed and ready to tackle all the at life throws at you. You always leave thinking “why don’t we do this more often?”
- Do nothing. Wow, what a concept! Can you imagine allowing yourself this luxury? Instead of moving on down that to do list, stop and take a bath, listen to music, or read a book. An actual paper book even… not an electronic version. I know this might be pushing it for some people. Better yet, do all three simultaneously.
- Meditation/Prayer/Visualization. Whatever your preference may be, engage in purposeful techniques to calm the mind. A great resource is a great website called HeartMath that involves using the 5 senses and heart rate monitoring to achieve this. It can be done anywhere and at any place. You can even do it without purchasing a thing.
- Lastly, one of the greatest things we can do for ourselves is to bless others. It doesn’t have to be super time consuming or expensive. It can be making a point to make eye contact and smile at those around us who look like they could use it, paying for the groceries for the person behind us that appears to need it, or just an encouraging word or text. Spend a lunch hour handing out a few Chic-Fil-A meals to the homeless and you will be surprised at what it will do for state of mind. Sometimes if we just put all our “stresses” into perspective we realize they are not so insurmountable.
So, whether you are male or female, struggling through grad school or adjusting to retirement, a full time professional or a stay at home parent, we all have demands on our time and difficulties that come our way. Such is life. Pour into yourself on a regular basis and this will hopefully help you enjoy life along whatever crazy path it takes you on. Sometimes we need assistance guiding us or helping to discover inner peace and happiness. If this sounds like it might be you, click here to contact us to schedule an appointment with our amazing life coach!