Three tips for building your own self-care practice

Self-care: it’s something I keep coming back to again and again and here’s why: how you show up for yourself is how you show up for the world.

While I knew this before, pregnancy has taught me that self-care is really a non-negotiable. I must rest, I must eat well, I must move my body and send it love. I must make time for me, no matter what is going on with my business, my family, with the world.

So how do you set yourself up for self-love success? How do we clear space, both in our calendars and in our minds, to do those things that allow us to fully show up in the best way possible in all other parts of our lives?

Here are my three tips for building your own self-care practice:

1. Morning “me” time – Let’s face it: for many of us, if we don’t take time in the morning, suddenly it’s 10PM and we don’t know where on earth the day went. So whether you are a morning person or not, set aside a few minutes in the morning to do something for you. My favorite morning practices include meditation, journaling, exercise, and a healthy breakfast. Even during hectic mornings, try and carve out two minutes just for you to breathe.
2. Have a menu of self-care practices to choose from – Create a list of yummy self-care practices that you can go to when you feel yourself needing some extra love. Think outside of the normal massage/pedicure/sleep – what are activities that energize and re-charge you? Going to a concert? Seeing a local sports team game?
3. …but also be flexible – Have an ideal self-care routine but don’t beat yourself up if it doesn’t all happen every single day. Try your best, and do what you can. Breathe. Know that this is a practice, and as with anything, the more you work at it, the easier it will become. Just the simple thought of knowing that this is important will create a ripple effect of space for it to actually happen. More and more.

Especially with my book baby entering the world week this week at my official book launch party on Thursday, it seems like my to-do list is endless, but I know I am no good to anyone else if I don’t listen to what I know I need to do for myself. I’ll be following my own advice this week and slowing down and taking extra time to rest, so that when all these exciting things do happen, I’m able to be present and fully appreciate the moment. That is the gift of self-care I want for all of you.