February is the month of love, so now is the perfect time to talk about showing love to yourself. As women we tend to take care of everyone and we forget about ourselves.
If you are a woman, you know what it is like to have everyone on your to-do list. In this new year, I will encourage you to add yourself to your to-do list. It is not going to be easy because you are not used to it, start small.
I can only speak for women because I am one. There is never zero activity in the brain of a woman at any point in time. For example, you can be at the grocery store and while shopping you are making a mental list of all the items that needs to be done. Things like “the kids are going back to school, can they still fit their shoes” “How long will the remaining rice in the pantry last us” and my personal favorite” what other ways can I cook rice to elevate it”. You can only give your best when you are at your best. A lot of women are running on empty and are burned out. Don't let that continue in 2023.
Since this month is the month of love, I will be sharing how you can love yourself by taking care of yourself in different aspects of your life.
Your Physical Self: Take care of your body, you live in it. One of the best things you can do for your body is move it. Physical exercise is more than just weight loss, it gives you strength, mental clarity and an overall mood boost. Nourish your body by eating good food, pay attention to your body after to eat and see how it feels; there are some foods that will make you sluggish and slow 10 minutes after you eat them. Hire a fitness and or nutrition coach if this is something you struggle with.
Your Emotional Self: Emotional intelligence the ability to understand and manage your own emotions, EI is something we can all work on. Master your emotions so it doesn’t get you in trouble. You know yourself so pay attention how certain people and situations make you feel. I have a blog post on how you cycle and hormones affects your emotion.
Your Mental Self: Mental health is just as important as physical health. Women carry a lot of burden mentally, that’s why it is important to take care of your mental health. I know we have friends we talk to but sometimes a professional is needed. I heard this online when someone said, “Your friends can talk you off a ledge but a therapist will prevent you from going to the ledge”. I have been seeing a therapist consistently for 18 month now and I love it. I started seeing her after I had my second son. People often think you see a therapist when things are not going well but the truth is even when things are going well you can still see a therapist. In my case I was having a life change from one to two kids, it was a good change, but a change none-the less. If you are struggling with mental health please reach out to a trusted loved one, they can help you with the resources you need. If you work with a company that has more than 200 employees, you might be entitled to EAP( employee assistance program). This program allows you to see a licensed therapist for up to 6 visits at no cost to you. Please check with your HR personnel and see if your company has an EAP.
Your Personal Self: You must find yourself, not mom you or wife you. A lot of woman are having identity crisis because they have forgotten who they are outside of being a wife or a mom . There is nothing wrong with being a wife or mom, but you have to fill your cup before you can take care of the people you love. One of the ways you can take care of yourself is to have some personal time to yourself, the best way to do this is to get up earlier before your household gets up. You can have some quite time with God and drink some coffee. Schedule a regular massage if you can afford it, take a walk outside alone for 30 minutes. If it is within your budget, a momcation.
Your Spiritual Self: This is the most important aspect of yourself that shouldn’t be left to chance. In this day and time, you need your spiritual health to be sound. The devices of the devil are so rampant and if you are not careful you can miss it. To grow and maintain your spiritual health you need to stay rooted in the word of the Lord. You need to spend uninterrupted time with Jesus to seek his face and his plans for your life. You must be intentional about it. The quality of your life is correlated to the quality of your spiritual life.
I hope this helps you on your journey of taking care of yourself.Remember, you can't pour from an empty cup. Take care of yourself so you can take care of your loved ones.
Question of the day:What is your favorite form of self care?
Until next time, remember, you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.
