#autumnselfcarechallenge
Self Care to Prep for the holiday season
We are in that time of year when a lot of expectations can be loaded up on our plate as we approach the holiday season. Thanksgiving and Christmas literally are right around the corner! It can be a time we are spread a little more thin than usual. Now is a great time to dial in your self care practices so that you can feel your best and hold your highest energy.
Look at your calendar and put in place actual appointments with yourself doing something that nourishes you. If you’re not sure what you would do for self care, at a minimum get blank/open time put on your calendar that says SELF CARE and then figure it out as you go. Consider the power moving your body has on your well being. Exercise is a biggie and moving your body is not something to abandon during the holiday season. Put your exercise appointments on your calendar for November and look forward into December and do the same. (see below to click and download a Self Care Planner to get you started.) Create pockets of time for you to do things that cause you to feel replenished and energized. Here are a few ideas for autumn self care you may want to incorporate into your routine.
Your list may look entirely different than your friends and that is how it should be. Self care is very individualized. This is where self awareness comes into play. If you are not sure what self care is for you, pay attention to what makes you feel good, relaxed, energized, nourished, supported, loved, and/or inspired….then do more of that.
I recently sat outside and finished the last two chapters of a book I have been reading. It felt amazing! Put your cell phone on silent, find a cozy place to read, stare at the clouds passing by, daydream, or just enjoy some quiet time. Enjoying time outdoors is an excellent form of self care and you can do something or nothing at all but the fresh air alone is uplifting.
RELATED: Self-Care and Stress: How the Two Go Hand-in-Hand
The very best thing that you can do for yourself in terms of self care is always to eat, drink, move your body and get enough rest/sleep. When we take care of the basics, we just function better as human beings. So take 20-30 minutes and look forward into November and December and write down your Self Care Plan. I’ve provided a template to get you started.
So take some time to think. Where can you schedule your self care practices on your schedule? Make yourself a priority and do things that fill you up. I promise this will benefit you in every way and allow you to show up as the best version of you during the holidays!