It’s the phrase of our time and for good reason. Self care – particularly for those engaged in the daily care of others – is crucial if we want to take responsibility for our own happiness. I have shared before about some of the things I do every single day. Check out the post below if you missed it.
I’m always on the look out for the little things – the activities that can be incorporated into a daily routine with minimal fuss. While it might seem like planning a holiday or a big experience will bring you the ultimate joy you seek, the Queen of Happiness – Gretchen Rubin, shares how it is these motions, these daily tasks that we bring in that make the ultimate difference to our mental wellbeing.
Everyone is different. Some of these might resonate with you, others may not, and that is absolutely fine! There is great meaning and fulfilment in pursuing the journey of what works. If you want some other ideas, check out this great list from Jim Kwik, the founder of Kwik Brain, of what he does to jumpstart his morning every single day. Unfortunately, no one would get to school if I tried to emulate his routine, so I have had to come up with my own (quick) version.
1. Morning Push ups
I know. Groan. It sounds horrible, but you might be surprised. Literally the first thing I do now after getting out of bed is to get down and do a plank for 100 counts, then do 15 push ups. I finish off with a few stretches and suddenly, I’m ready for the day. Before, I would stumble out of bed and take at least 15 minutes to get my head around where I was, let alone feel ready to face anything. (I’m not a morning person, in case you can’t tell). And, as an extra bonus, apparently working out before breakfast signals to your brain to burn the fat reserves, kick-starting the process of shedding weight.
In case it matters, I am pretty much the opposite of a kale-inhaling, active-wearer, fitness-freak (sorry if that describes you, I actually admire your self-discipline!). Apart from this quick morning routine and 20 minutes or so of yoga every day, I abhor physical exercise and my diet involves comfort foods of all kinds. We had Southern Fried Chicken for dinner tonight, to give you an example. But I’m finding that these little, daily, repeated steps are adding up and I’m suddenly in the best physical shape I’ve been in years. It totally seems like cheating. But, hey, I’m not complaining!
2. Have a cold shower
Another counter intuitive one, but have you ever tried it? I do it for 30 seconds, right at the end of my hot shower, and I can tell you, you have never felt more alive than in those first few moments when the icy water hits. The benefits are huge: your heart rate goes down, you experience a reduction in stress, oxygen circulates through your body and minerals are distributed to your cells (it stimulates your autonomic nervous system too).
Apparently, by exposing our bodies to controlled stressful situations, we allow ourselves to cope better and become more resilient. I came across this idea through the story of Wim Hof, who has done some incredible (and slightly weird) things, pushing his body to the absolute limit in order to access more control over his brain.
3. Learn Something New
We live in an amazing age – information is positively itching to be discovered. Is there a topic you want to know more about? You can access videos, podcasts, articles and studies within seconds! I have my go to podcasts that I put on while washing the dishes each night and there is something powerful about the power of the podcast to pull you out of your own narrow perspective (particularly if the day has been hard and I’m despairing over the kids’ futures). Learning something new can be exhilarating and empowering, and it is strengthening for the brain as well. My nightly favourites at the moment are So You Want to Be A Writer, Jim Kwik and The Unmistakable Creative. Even five minutes of daily investing into learning adds up to 35 minutes per week, and more than 30 hours per year.
4. Connect with Someone
Have you ever noticed how much better you feel when you reach out to someone else? Even just a quick text exchange can inspire a sense of belonging, help get us out of a perspective bubble and strengthen relationships. I don’t do this nearly enough, but I always notice the benefits when I take those few minutes to encourage or check in with a friend.
5. Pray
I don’t often talk about my spiritual life on this blog, primarily because I have been on a complicated journey with faith since childhood days, then starting a church with Dave which led to us deconstructing a lot of the ideas we had while growing up. At the moment, however, I’m in a rebuilding phase, which is starting to look a little similar (ironically) to what it used to, but by coming full circle I have a sense of ownership and depth that I never would have had before. I’m on a massive journey with this and sometimes I don’t even have the language to talk about it without seeming trite, but I daily see my own lack and need for something true beyond myself.
Praying looks a lot like asking for help these days – with my family, my parenting and my ongoing management with using alcohol as a tool for stress reduction rather than celebration. I’m a broken, flawed human but I have hope that God can use me and my story to create something beautiful.
Over to you! What quick self-care strategies do you have? I would love to hear about them.
I’m experimenting with Pinterest at the moment too, so let me know if you are active so I can follow you!
