We know we’re supposed to make time for journaling, meal prepping, meditating, reading books, and taking baths, but sometimes life gets in the way. We all have our own forms of self-care that contribute to our well-being, regulate the nervous system, ease anxiety and boost happiness, but they can easily get pushed to the side when we get busy. And on top of that, when we’re going through breakups, health scares, getting side-swiped in the car or any number of other undesirable issues, it can leave us feeling like a hot mess.
But the thing is, that overwhelming spiral is when you need self-care the most. September is National Self-Care Awareness Month and this is how to make it happen, even when your life is in chaos.
- Embrace the mess - Just allowing yourself to accept that things may feel messy for a little while is self-care in itself. Life isn’t supposed to be perfect and it definitely isn’t, so remember it’s not your fault and keep rolling with the challenges that come your way.
- Give yourself grace - If you feel like you’re failing at self-care, you’re not alone, but it might feel like it since most people don’t brag about not sticking to their healthy habits. Try to forgive yourself and keep moving forward, even at a snail’s pace.
- Tally up the time you have - It may not feel like you have much, but when you add it all up, you’ll see that carving out 10 to 30 minutes a day for self-care isn’t actually impossible.
- Prioritize the mess - This means deciding which fires to put out first and which ones can wait until next week so you can make time for self-care.
- Pick your most potent form of self-care - You want the ones that pack the biggest punch in the shortest amount of time and it’s different for everyone. Maybe it’s a 30-minute power nap or a facial. Doesn’t matter what it is, just find what’s going to make you feel good afterwards.
- Block time in your calendar - If it’s not on your to-do list, you’re probably not going to do it. So make self-care a non-negotiable by scheduling it to ensure it happens.
- Feel it - When you do make time for self-care, try not to spend it thinking about what you have to do next. Take the time to appreciate how it feels and enjoy it.
- Be kind to yourself when you skip it - No matter how good your intentions are, things come up and you may not get the “me” time you expected. And when it does, go easy on yourself. That’s self-care, too and sometimes all you can manage when your life is a hot mess.
Source: The Every Girl