8 Essential Self-Care Practices for Daily Joy

Welcome to Authentic Living with Linda
I’m Linda Codlin

Welcome, My Friends.

Every week, I am planning on including something that brings joy and fun into my life.
Sometimes it feels like life sends more than I want to handle, and my work is to work out how to handle it, and find the joy and fun in it.
This week we went trout fishing, sitting on the bank in the sun, watching the fish sunning themselves, and avoiding our lines.
Eventually hubby found a spot that had a hungry fish in it, and we had a beautiful fish for dinner.
Also as part of our getting out of our space, to give us the feeling of normalcy we went to the sunflower field display.
Sunflowers are so open and pleasing to look at. I bought a few to bring home as rememberances of our day out and as a smile of sunshine into my lounge.

This week I want to cover eight ways of including self-care into your daily life.

Physical Self-Care

Would self-care be self-care if it didn’t include something physical.

1. Move your body.
   Take yourself for a walk, go to the local garden park and enjoy the trees and flowers.
   As you move, shift your thinking onto something that makes you smile.
   Movement can significantly lift your mood by releasing endorphins and changing your scenery.
   Try doing an activity you love.
2. Hydrate and Nourish your body.
   We are in the middle of summer and the days can be hot, drinking iced water, I have found to be very satisfying and as a bonus it doesn’t add any extra calories into my meal plan.
   Water is great for hydrating your brain, and your muscles, it’s also great for your digestive system keeping everything running smoothly.
   Nourish yourself with quality foods, rather than sugar laden foods that leave you craving more, substitute a snack with a well curated mini meal, one with a little fat, a little protein and a LOT of flavour.
   I have found that by choosing to eat a well crafted meal, my need to snack has reduced significantly, (actually for the last 4 weeks I have not desired to snack at all, easily, even when others in the house are eating my favourite foods.) It seems to me that eating a well designed meal, my food and nutrition requirements are taken care of.
   As an aside I am not on a diet, I have decided this year, I am focusing on eating quality cuisine, to increase my pleasure and delight in eating real food.
3. Pamper Yourself.
   What makes you feel pampered and indulgent?
   Is it a hot Epsom salt bath at the end of the day? Or maybe you like adding essential oils like lavender or eucalyptus to your bath water.
   Maybe your pamper formula might be a good book, a quiet shaded corner and an iced cold drink. Or you could sit by the fire with a cosy blanket over your knees, a great read and a hot drink.
   Spend some time on your skin, you could lavish a silky cream on your arms and legs, or you could give yourself a full face facial with all the embellishments.
   Maybe your pamper item is a snooze in the afternoon, to refresh you.
   Choose something that feels luxurious, pampering and indulgent.

Emotional Self-Care

1. Journal
   Thoughts belong on paper where you can see what you are thinking, and decide without heated emotions if those thoughts are helpful or not.
   There are many ways to journal, you can make it as decorative as you like, you can create lists, or charts to record your day to day life.
   Personally I have ten different ways I like to journal. I begin with a ‘thought download’ to clear my mind of all my worries, and incomplete thoughts.
   Then I use a system to plan my day, I use the Top 3, Easy 3, Next 3 system that was shared with me. The next form of journaling is to choose how I want to feel or be in my day, this is a word or picture drawn and described for me to mull over during my day.
   Next, I write in my secret garden, this is the place where belief shifts, plans and dreams are percolating, getting ready for revealing.
   Next up I list 10 thoughts and ideas I want to see happen, or want to create in my life.
   Then I encourage my future self to write a letter of encouragement to my today self.
   As I progress through my journaling, I like to remind myself about magical, mystical moments that are happening for me, included in this segment are the Appreciation Attitude Booster, and the Aha moments of Today’s learnings.
   And lastly I ask the Universe (or God) to share something they want me to know, through what I call my ‘Omni Letter’. A letter from the divine to me for today.
   How do you journal? Are you willing to share your journal tips with me?
2. Practice Mindfulness or Meditation.
   BE aware of what you are doing. When are washing dishes, wash dishes. Stop planning something else, stop over thinking about what someone said to you.
   Be completely present in what you are doing. This I have found is the secret of mindfulness for me. It quiets down my overactive mind, being present with what is in front of me.
   Using meditation can have the greatest calming effect on your body, getting you in touch with your breathing, or focusing on a particular word or attitude you want to expand.
   Meditation can be like a visualization session, where you ask yourself questions and you answer with visual pictures, sounds, sights and colours.
   You might like you use a guided meditation that has a theme you are currently working on, for example it might be abundance, or weight loss, or calmness.
   However you meditate, take the pressure off you, and relax, letting it be what it is.
3. Laugh.
   Discover your sense of humour.
   Dust it off and use it, a good belly laugh does the soul good, and make you feel fabulous, (and a little rib sore.)
   Watch a funny video, find the clips on YouTube and Instagram that make you chuckle, or laugh out loud.
   Listen to comedy podcasts, or read a lighthearted book.
   Laugh out loud, laugh with a friend, laughter is contagious.

Social Self-Care

1. Reach out t a friend or family member to connect.
   A quick chat can be all that’s needed to lift your spirits, give you a shift in perspective, and maybe a laugh or two.
   Flick a text to someone you are thinking of and let them know you are thinking about them. It might just be the only contact they have all day.
   Call a friend and organise a walk or a coffee meet up.
   Invite your friends over for a games evening, or dinner, or dessert.
2. Hug Someone.
   In this day and age where we have become used to ‘isolating’ we forget to touch.
   Human caring physical touch is one of the most needed things to elevate mood, a persons touch can release Oxytocin which help reduce stress and improve your mood and the mood of the recipient.
   If you feel like a hug is inappropriate, lay your hand on their arm, or on their shoulder. Follow your instincts.
   Ask first, so the other person knows a hug is coming to them, and they won’t be shocked.
   Hugs yourself, wrap yourself up in your arms, then rub your hands up and down your arms, give yourself a full body squeeze, type of hug.

Creative Self-Care

1. Try something artistic.
   Have a go at something you have always wanted to try.
   Try drawing with pencil, try painting even if it’s paint by numbers, (which is a great way to begin, even if it not an original from you.)
   Give knitting or macrame a go.
   Expressing your creativity in a way you haven’t tried before might just lead down a new path of enjoyment and fulfillment.
2. Listen to music.
   Create a playlist of your favourite songs that make you happy, then play it out loud. Then sing or dance to the music, sway and feel.
   Then try listening to a different genre, just for fun, you might find another category of songs you enjoy.
   Stretch your boundaries a little with the music you listen to.
   Even have a go at learning to play an instrument, or pick up the instrument you learned as child and develop that skill.

Spiritual Self-Care

1. Spend time in nature.
   Sit on the park bench in the middle of a rose garden, let the scents, and sounds fill your spirit up.
   Go for a walk through a grove of trees, feel the coolness of their shade, breathe in the freshness of tree breath.
   Take your shoes off and walk on the grass, feel the earth’s coolness beneath your feet.
   If you have the opportunity to walk amongst flowers, and trees, take it.
   We have a large island down the middle of the road, with trees that are probably 50 years old planted along this island.
   I will walk up the street on the foot path to where I’m going, but I always take the tree walk home, and I always feel better for it, even with the traffic moving on either side of me, I still feel grateful for the shade and the beauty of these trees. (And the forethought of council planning.)
2. Express gratitude.
   What are you grateful for?
   Can you write down three things you have today, that were once a wish. Be thankful for these things. (This is the secret to feeling abundant.)
   Everyday write down three things you are grateful for, and feel the gratitude in your body. (No parroting here, actual sensational feelings count.)
   Who are you grateful to?
   We don’t get to where we are on our own, there is always someone who has been instrumental in moving us forward. Be grateful to this person or people.
   Looking for the good, the positive, and the best shifts our belief of life and humanity.

Mental Self-Care

1. Read or Learn Something New.
   What is a topic that you have been curious about?
   Do some research about it, find out what makes it tick. Learn the language of your hobby or interest.
   Read a book and let it impact your emotions in a way that inspires you to greater learning and being.
   Try a new musical instrument, or a new hobby.
   Join a group of people with similar interests, and participate, share what you know, and learn from the group.
   Learning stimulates your brain, giving something positive to focus on and move you towards, reducing worry and stress.
   Create a dream list of all the things you think you would like to know about, it can be food related, science based, crafty, arty or mathematical. It’s your list of what you’ve always thought would be interesting.
   Begin to add to your knowledge and skills one item at a time.
2. Declutter a Small Space.
   It’s amazing how much our ‘stuff’ clutters our brain, affecting the way we feel about ourselves.
   Pick one small area, I always pick the area that annoys me the most, the one I see everyday that gives me that argh feeling every time I walk past it.
   Once the area has been chosen, I remove everything I don’t want in that space, and clean everything, so it is fresh, then I put back only the things I want in that space.
   If it happens to be the walk-in-the-door dumping ground, I put something there that doesn’t allow for dumping. Like a vase of flowers.
   If you are new to decluttering, begin tiny. Start with your dressing table or a draw, clear it off, put the things removed into a new space.
   Only return to the area or draw the things that you want in that space.
   The secret to keeping a space decluttered is to make it beautiful, and to keep it beautiful. Make a new habit of daily admiring your clear and clean space.
   Feel the sense of control and accomplishment you feel.
   Continue to remove what doesn’t feel good to you, make your space a reflection of the beauty that is within you.
   Be kind and gentle with yourself, this is a process, and it can’t be done wrong, or perfectly. So just begin and enjoy the feeling of pride you have.

Relaxation Self-Care

1. Unplug from Technology.
   You knew this one was going to be on the list.
   Put your phone down for an hour or two a day, by choice.
   Take yourself outside for a walk, without ear phones, podcasts or music.
   Your life is as valuable as any life on Social Media, and it deserves your time and attention.
   BE present where you are. Unplug your brain from the drama of other lives, and be aware of what is around you.
   Yes, it might be a bit scary to actually face your own thoughts, but you can do it, and once you realise you have a wisdom within you that is waiting for you to live into, your life will become so much more interesting than any thing on social media.
   Create space to relax, to really unwind, to let your brain rest, to let your body release the tension it is holding onto.
2. Engage in Deep Breathing.
   We breathe all the time, mostly unconsciously. We don’t give our breath a second thought, until we can’t breathe easily.
   Practice breathing to the bottom of your diaphragm once or twice a day. Clear all the stale air out of the bottom of your lungs.
   If you like to meditate, this is a great time to practice breathing for relaxation.
   If you like to walk in nature, this is also a great time to breathe in the life giving energy that trees have.
   Try the 4-7-8 method of breathing. Inhale for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, exhale for 8 seconds.
   Remember exhaling is the most important part of breathing, you can’t fill a space that is already full. Breath out deeply before inhaling.

Create a Routine

1. Life is built on routines.
   I can guarantee you already have routines that you follow, even if you are not aware of them.
   Are you nearly always late for your engagements? You have a routine that is creating your lateness.
   Are you leaving the ‘chores’ you don’t like for later? You have a routine you follow within that leaving till ‘later’ habit.
   We all have routines, the question is, does your routine serve you? Does your routine bring you the results you want?
   If it doesn’t it might be time to investigate where your routine is out of balance with your values or desires.
   Begin with one or two things that will bring you the biggest emotional rewards.
   It might be clearing off the table before you go to bed at night, so in the morning you get up to a clean and tidy space.
   It might be setting your clothes out at night for the next day, so you don’t have to make that decision when you get up.
   Your biggest emotional reward can be anything that serves your well-being and makes you feel great about yourself.
2. Consistency is key.
   Take small regular steps to begin and maintain your desired routine.
   Be kind with yourself, it takes time to make routines habitual.
   It takes persistence, to keep reminding yourself to follow through, especially when the old routine feels easier to fall back into.
   Be gentle with your self-talk, you are doing this to improve how you feel about yourself.
   You can only think one thought at a time, choose one that builds you up.

Until next time: Choose one area of Self-Care you want to improve, choose one action you can take today to begin to feel better about who you are and where you are heading.
Then do it, note how you feel after you have done it. Notice your mind chatter, is it helpful, does it inspire you to continue, if not pick a 3-5 word affirmation that will inspire you.
It might be…

I deserve to feel fabulous.

I can do hard things.

I am okay.

This too shall pass.

xoxox Linda

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