How to ease into the new year [cozy self-care tips inside!]

After all the thank you responses I received on last week’s post on how to ease into the new year without the usual cascade of resolutions, I realized how many of us needed to hear that message. Haven’t read last week’s yet? You can check it out here! So for this week, let’s definitely keep going in that direction, first, with a question – how are you taking care of yourself this week?

For many of us, food is comfort. We use food to show love, care, and connection, but we also use it to self- soothe and create a bubble of time that belongs to us. And often when we are feeling stressed, anxious, uncomfortable or just not taking care of ourselves in any other way, we turn to food to calm ourselves.

Thankfully once we are able to make this connection, we can learn other more productive ways to care for and soothe ourselves. You can give yourself this relaxation, this release, and personal space and time to just chill and ooze into nothing, without using food to do it.                  

Here are my suggestions for ways to show yourself love, to look out for your mind and body, without turning to food:

• Make a real cup of tea, loose leaf and all, and sit, sip and really enjoy
• Take out your calendar and schedule a date with yourself to do something you really want to do   
  
• Take a bubbly or salty bath, add a candle
• Go for a walk around the block, look up and breathe deeply
• Call a friend that always has that magical way of showing you a little extra love
• And so many more! 
  

Don’t hold it back from yourself. Love your body and it will start to love you back.

Love these gentle tips? There’s a whole chapter on self-love in my book, Go with Your Gut, with even more love-your-body practices and recipes. Head on over here to order and grab the pre-order extras (including my Intuition video and bonus recipes!) before they disappear!