Feeling your best is important, regardless of what's going on in your daily life. It is especially important to know your body and recognize the signs you need a little extra TLC. After much trial and error, I have finally found the top three forms of self care that help me get back to feeling 100%, and hopefully they can help you too!
Walk Away from the Stress
I know taking a walk seems like the most basic exercise, but it really does have a positive impact on the body. Walking is one of the best techniques to release pent up stress and emotions within our bodies. Sometimes it's hard for us to realize just how much we face in one day because we're so used to just compartmentalizing it within our physical bodies. If we didn't, we wouldn't even be able to make it through the smallest inconveniences.
While our bodies are truly amazing for helping us process all of these hardships and emotions, eventually we need to release it. Walking not only allows our bodies to get up and move, but also gives us the opportunity to think about some of the reasons why we have all these stored negative emotions. Between rationalizing and thinking through these situations clearly, and also shaking off the physical sensations of stress, walking is sure to leave you feeling refreshed and like a clean slate, ready to face whatever life throws at you next.
Calm Your Mind, Distract Yourself
After you've worked through your emotions on a walk, it's crucial to stop overthinking once the situation is resolved. Thinking and rethinking these negative emotions once you've worked through them will only cause more havoc on your body. To avoid this, distract yourself by doing one of your favorite activities. Anything that relaxes you and can fully distract your mind with positivity.
For instance, my favorite way to distract my brain from overthinking everything is getting lost in a really good book. Once my eyes finally fall tired from reading so many pages, I set the book down and realize that so much time has passed by without even thinking about what was bothering me. Even if there isn't necessarily anything specific you want to distract your mind from, it's always fun to escape reality for a short while, whether it be through reading, watching Netflix, cooking, or sleeping.
Sleep, Sleep, and More Sleep
Speaking of sleeping, this is another crucial step in self care. Speaking from personal experience, I was finding myself so tired and totally wiped out halfway through the day. I was even waking up feeling dreary and unmotivated. This prevented me from completing anything throughout my day, leaving me feeling lethargic and unaccomplished. I finally took a step back and realized that I just needed one good night's sleep. So I made sure to be in bed by 10 p.m. that night and didn't set an alarm for the next day. I seriously felt like I had completely reset my sleep schedule and woke up feeling ready to start my day.
Sleeping and rest is so important to feel your best. If your body doesn't have the energy to carry you throughout your day, then your mind will subsequently be left feeling tired from the lack of activity that day. My message to you is to make sure your mind and body are both equally getting an adequate amount of rest, and don't be afraid to take a mental health day to reset your body. It'll only help you in the long run.
Self care is what allows us to feel refreshed, motivated, and confident to accomplish anything we set our minds to. Therefore, make sure your self care routine is at the top of your to-do list, or else nothing else on the list will even come close to being finished.
