We’re so tired of 2020. It's the year when we learned, once and for all: We can’t control everything that happens in the world. We can only control how we react to it.
To become more resilient and keep stress levels under control, you need to practice daily self-care habits, which can give us a mental and emotional boost.
Here, find a few new rituals to incorporate into your daily self-care routine.
1. Practice daily acts of gratitude
Whether a journal or other affirmations We've heard it before, but it actually works to write down or keep a note of what you're grateful for. There are a a variety of ways to practice gratitude, either by actually journaling gratitude or positive life events, or looking forward to planning future events, or practicing daily acts of kindness, or simply writing down your own unique strengths. Create affirmations to repeat on your walk or run, to re-assert that: Life is good. You have so much going for you, and this too shall pass.
2. Get out into nature on a regular basis
Even if your local park or riverwalk isn’t quite as awe-inspiring, or is more cityscape than forest-filled, you’ll be amazed at what a difference it makes to get outside. No time? Wake up earlier to ensure you can carve out time each day to spend an hour or so around trees, flowers, or a natural body of water.
3. Set your daily intentions
Want to be an overachiever? Weekly, monthly, and yearly intentions are golden, too. When you first start jotting down your intentions, try writing down a few sentences each morning, or simply pick a guiding word or phrase like “open to trying” or “grounded.”
4. Try an incredible new vegan recipe
There’s something soothing about being in the flow of the kitchen, simply dicing a tomato, roasting squash, or watching pancake batter bubble up in a pan. So cheer up, unravel the MasterChef within you and just get going with your own new creation of a vegan recipe you will end up liking more than anything!
5. Breathe deeply and make time to think and meditate twice a day
Even if you don't meditate, breathing deeply can signal the brain that it should relax and everything is fine. You may not even realize you're not breathing all the way in and all the way out until you try it: Inhale for four counts, hold your breath for four counts, exhale for six counts. Repeat, repeat, repeat, for at least a few minutes a day.
6. Wind down before bed with time for active relaxation
To help get a restorative night of shut-eye–that’s optimally seven hours–employ this strategy every evening before bed. “Don’t eat or drink three hours prior to bedtime, discontinue use of all electronics 90 minutes prior to bedtime, take a relaxing shower and make sure to dim the lighting in the house 60 minutes before you hit the hay,”
A good deal of practicing self care is learning how to understand your own needs emotionally, physically, and professionally. If you can understand your needs and learn to put yourself first sometimes, you'll be able to better take care of yourself and your other responsibilities.
Share your self care ritual in the comment section below.