Have you seen the movie I Don’t Know How She Does It?  In it, the lead character, played by Sarah Jessica Parker, is a true “Jill of All Trades”.  She’s a mom of two, a loving wife, in great physical health, not to mention killing it in her career.  She lies in bed at night with her to-do list running rapidly through her head...laundry, gym, soccer, don’t forget Jack at school, love up the hubby, bake sale, cook dinner for family, work presentation…

Does this list sound familiar? 

If you can relate, can you also pinpoint what’s missing in this neverending list of things to get done?

There’s an essential component of living happily and fulfilled that’s not present here.

If you said ‘self-care’ you’re right! Self-care or identifying our own needs and taking the steps to nurture and fulfill those needs is crucial to health and happiness.

If you’re a nurturer, always taking care of the other people in your life before yourself, you may think of self-care as being selfish.  However, when you’re worn out or stressed from always putting others first and neglecting your own needs, your body is running on empty, and you end up with nothing left to give.  This can lead to depression, resentment, and anxiety. 

“Rest and self-care are so important. When you take time to replenish your spirit it allows you to serve others from the overflow. You cannot serve from an empty vessel.” -Eleanor Brownn

When we forgo self-care, often the first thing to go is looking after our own health - missing workouts, reaching for easy meals, and skipping our meditation or yoga practice. All of these things contribute to overarching happiness and satisfaction that allow us to be even more present and successful in our lives.

But how do you find the time to fit in self-care when your to-do list is so long?

Shift Your Mindset
Remembering that self-care is not selfish is the first step in fostering your own needs. Once you’ve developed a deserving mindset, you can start to set time aside to take care of you.  The time you set aside for self-care doesn’t have to be long periods.  15-20 minute intervals can make a huge difference.

Recognize Your Worth
You are...worthwhile, capable, competent, and deserving.

Make Time
When we really want something or feel passionate about it, we make the time.  Look at your calendar and see where you have a few open spaces and could make a more effective use of your time. Perhaps it’s after the kids go to bed, during your lunch break, or a rare moment in time when no one else is home.

Say No
We all have responsibilities and commitments in life that we can’t say ‘no’ to, but there are also a lot of events or gatherings we say yes to because we feel like we ‘should’.  If you’re feeling worn out and run down and need a night to recharge, saying no to happy hour or dinner party is not a bad thing.  Your friends and community will still love you. 

A Few Examples
Self-care doesn’t have to be expensive or take up a lot of time.  Here are a few of our favorite ways to take care of ourselves, ranging in price and time: 

• Exercise - walk, yoga, pilates, run, swim
• Meditation
• Epsom salt bath
• Spa treatments
• Naps
• Learning something new or developing a new hobby
• Reading
• Gardening
• Making a beautiful healthy meal

We hope that you’ll feel inspired to take care of yourself once and for all to let your true soul shine through. 

If you feel like your health is the first thing you sacrifice in taking care of others, then you’ll love this 4-part free online workshop from our friend Kris Carr.  Kris is a New York Times Bestselling Author and Integrative Nutrition Visiting Teacher who inspires and empowers thousands of women all over the world to live as the healthiest versions of themselves.

In this free wellness workshop, Kris dives deeper into some of the habits and challenges that hold us back from thriving and how to overcome them.  Click here to access the videos.

We want to know...how will you use this advice to take care of yourself this week? Let us know in the comments section below!