How to deepen your self-care in easy sustainable steps.
The term “self-care treasure chest” is one that I came up with a few moons ago while inviting a client to explore more about what practices felt deeply nourishing to her. What do we reach for when we need rest? Not just physical rest, but mental and spiritual as well. Creating a list of healing rituals that are specific to your unique mind, body, and spirit is an act of self-love in and of itself! Let's look at ways we can deepen our self-care. Grab a piece of paper, or open your notes app on your phone, and ask yourself what brings you back to life. What helps you when you feel overwhelmed, angry, anxious, stressed, or sad? It is putting on Missy Elliot and dancing and shaking? Or is it a clearing breath work class? What helps you when you feel physically exhausted and burnt out? It is doing a restorative yoga class or listening to a Yoga Nidra meditation? Creating your list of things that guide you out of states of numbing out, or pushing forward while ignoring what is happening internally is important! When you come back home to yourself and realize that you are your own medicine, you empower yourself and look to your inner compass when times are challenging.
There are times I have felt emotionally and spiritually exhausted and the cure for that was going to dance class and shaking my body, or doing an intense mountain bike ride. But when I feel physically fatigued, I go deeper into rest mode, by napping or listening to meditations, watching Netflix, or visiting the hot springs. When deciding which action to take, dig deeper into what you need by determining what needs nourishment and healing, mind body, or spirit?
This is to help guide you back to homeostasis, not ignore feelings. So at the core of whatever you are experiencing, FEEL IT! If you don’t express it, you repress it. So honor what is coming up for you, and take loving action (or inaction) from that place.
Here are some ideas to get you going on cultivating a fabulous Self- Self-care Treasure Chest!
Acupuncture
Massage
Goddess Baths (the all-out bath, Epsom salts, rose petals, candles, crystals on the edge of the bathtub, luxurious bubbles, soothing music)
Soothing yoga poses + stretches (Child's pose, legs up the wall, fish)
Breathwork Class or sitting consciously with your breath for 10-20 minutes.
Sitting outside + allowing the sun to nourish your skin. Close your eyes, take deep breaths, and let the solar rays shine on you!
Meal prepping/ meal planning. Taking time to organize your meals, cook them, and have them ready for when you need them is helping to support yourself and your health.
Growing your own herbs!
Applying a favorite essential oil to your heart space or wherever you are carrying heavy energy.
Putting on an episode of The Golden Girls ( or whatever show makes you giggle)
Hugging a tree (seriously)
Yoga Nidra
Journal
Identify 5 beautiful things around you, smell, sight, feel, touch.
Light one of your most delicious candles
Burn some sage and cleanse your energy and space
Turn off your phone
Shake/ Dance/ Twerk
Therapy
Take a cold shower or take a dip in the river
Make an altar that honors your journey and items that are inspiring to you (ex. Childhood photo, crystals, feathers, sand, etc)
Facetime a good friend
Take an exercise class you have never tried before
Identify energy leaks, like social media or a certain friend. Then look deeper into how you can release those things in your life that require you to give your life force.
Repeat loving Mantras to yourself based on what needs nourishment. If you are mentally or physically fatigued, say " I love myself back into alignment."
Take an art class
Volunteer for a local organization
Do shadow work, identify what is going on within you causing you distress, anger or discontent. Write out what is coming up for you, look deeply into the part you are playing in your own suffering.
above all else-lovingly BE with yourself.
Let me know in the comments what making a self-care treasure chest was like for you, and if you are interested in deepening your level of self-love, check out my online digital journal!