Three Steps to Starting a Self Care Routine
Your self care routine doesn't need to look like a well-crafted instagram feed, or, it could. Either way, here are three steps to starting a self care routine that is authentic to you.
I'll let you in on a secret. I struggle with meditation.
Phew, I feel better already getting that off my chest.
***DISCLAIMER: Everything shared on Spark & Revive by Thirty Three Candle & Soap Inc. self care blog is for entertainment and informational purposes only. Please complete your own research as needed and seek out a medical/therapeutic professional for personalized information and help. Everyone is responsible for their own self care journey and how they choose to implement practices and routines in their lives. Thirty Three Candle & Soap Inc. is not liable for how you use any of the information provided. Please do your own due diligence.***
What I realized about meditation is that I internalized what I thought it should look like instead of focusing on what it would be for me. Like all things, self care routines should be tailored to who you are and how you operate in life. If you hate running, deciding to add 15 miles of running per week just because someone else is doing it will not bring you joy.
Designing a simple self care plan that is authentic to you will bring the balance needed to reduce your stress - not add to it. Following these three easy steps to starting your self care routine will cultivate the peace, joy, and excitement you crave in your life.
1. Make sure it's for you - create a list of things you enjoy and things you don't.
Looking at social media and the self care plans of your friends can lead you down the road of creating a routine that you dread and actively avoid. It is best that you create a list of 5-10 things you enjoy doing and 5-10 things you absolutely hate. Keep your joy list to things YOU actually like and not what you think you should like or what might look good to others.
One of the major hurdles will be focusing on you and what will truly resonate with you.
2. Be honest with yourself and decide on what you can commit to doing for the next three weeks.
Now that you have your lists of things that bring you joy or peace, narrow it down to 3-4 activities and tasks that you can commit to doing daily or 3-4 times a week over the next three weeks. This will give you a better chance of creating a simple self care routine that can become a habit, as it is said it takes about 21 days to form new habits. While travel may be on your list, it is most likely something you can not accomplish frequently in the next three weeks.
Once you have narrowed it down to 3-4 activities, commit yourself to doing them over the next three weeks consistently. The key to bringing peace and joy to your life is consistency. To help you accomplish this, look at your schedule for the next three weeks and pencil in win you will do certain activities and then hold yourself to doing them.
3. Develop a "get back on track" plan and aim to treat yourself with kindness when you fall off of your routine.
Second to consistency, what we do after we fall off of our routine determines how successful we'll be overall. Often times I found I was beating myself up after failing to maintain my routines, putting off restarting multiple times. Waiting for the right time to get back on track can mean that you never do.
Our lives can be busy or we can get into a rut where we can't seem to complete anything. When this happens, and it will, it is important to have a plan for getting back on track.
First, give yourself permission to mess up and quickly recover. Positive self talk will lead to a faster return to your routine. Second, pin point 2-3 things you will do to put you back on track. This might include evaluating your routine to see if it is something you can commit to. Changing what doesn't work can often be enough. You can also create a new routine if you find you no longer want to do what you committed to.
Remember that your self care routine is for you and should bring you peace, not add stress.
In the end, knowing what you want, deciding to commit to it, and having a plan for when you fall off will lead you to creating a simple self care routine that is authentic to you. Your well-lived life filled with joy and peace is within reach. You deserve it.