This is the last week for our focus on emotional self-care and I couldn’t think of a central focus for some reason like I did for journal topics or like I did for meditation options so instead I decided to write about emotional self-care practices we can use every day. Our emotional self-care has an impact on how we feel about ourselves and how we treat others so it’s an incredibly important practice in my opinion and I think that when our emotional self-care is neglected we become irritable, we tend to ‘act out,’ become defensive, etc. I’m not implying that a lack of emotional self-care is the only reason why we experience those feelings but I do believe that if we don’t make time for emotional self-care, it can sometimes play a role in how we feel about ourselves and how we behave towards others. For the past several months I’ve given you a plethora of emotional self-care options to choose from but I don’t think I’ve scratched the surface. I’m sure there are a wide array of choices but for some reason I’ve been sticking with what we are all familiar with and ides that I think we’ve all benefit from, from time to time.
Honestly, any form of self-care might inadvertently play a role in the way we treat others and ourselves. I always say that when it comes to self-care, we should give our bodies what it needs, when it needs it. So I think when we honor what we need, it affects how we feel. The list that I’ve worked on for you this week is yet another list of self-care ideas that you don’t necessarily have to work on from Sunday-Saturday, instead it’s a list that you could take note of and refer to at anytime in the future. There are some options you can start practicing this week but these are more like a list of emotional self-care references.
SELF COMPASSION This may not apply to everyone but someone might need it. Often times we are entirely too hard on ourselves. We go down the “I should’ve, I could’ve, I wish, Why did I, I can’t believe” rabbit hole. I’m no stranger to this mindset, but it’s mentally EXHAUSTING and if you can relate to this, then I’m sure you will agree. Lately I’ve been checking myself when I feel this way and instead of beating myself up, I try to accept what is, especially if I have no control. It’s difficult at times but practicing self-compassion shifts the energy away from mental exhaustion to being kind and patient with yourself.
EXTEND YOURSELF SOME GRACE It took a while for me to understand what this meant especially because I kept hearing it over and over again when I was in therapy. Based on the context of how it was used, I started to assume it meant I should start being kinder to myself especially during the times when I really messed up. Extending grace to myself meant that I should stop beating myself up and just accept what is.
PRACTICE SELF-LOVE I’ve been writing about self-love all month. When you love yourself, it creates space for you to not take things to heart and regardless of what others may say or think, you know what you bring to the table and you know that your flaws are only a small part of who you really are.
SAY NO SOMETIMES The word “no” is a healthy boundary, it’s set in place to protect both you and the other person. Often times the word may feel like a rejection but I’ve said it before if I’m no good to myself, how can I be good to you? No is not always meant to hurt someone’s feelings, sometimes we have to say it because it’s what’s best for us at the moment.
START USING AFFIRMATIONS Affirmations are a string of positive words we can use to manifest positivity in our lives and it’s also a form of emotional self-care–self-care that impacts our overall emotional wellbeing. Affirmations are incredibly popular and extremely effective if used properly. Keep in mind that affirmations can sometimes be negative. But I doubt that any mentally stable individual is trying to attract negative energy into their lives on purpose. But words themselves are affirmations. We hear it all the time, we attract what we put out in the universe. This is why it’s so important for us to remain positive, even when it feels difficult.
MEDITATE I know I talked about this last Sunday but I think mediation is one of the best ways we can work on our emotional self-care. I know when I meditate consistently I’m able to deal with life’s challenges a bit easier and I’m not easily bothered by the things people do or by setbacks. Read about the different forms of meditation is my post from last week.
JOURNALING Another option that I talked about recently lol. I also believe that this form of emotional self-care is really beneficial because journals can be our best friend. We can share how we feel without fear of judgement or without worrying that someone sharing your information with anyone else. Additionally, if you have a difficult time expressing your feelings to others, having a journal strips away that fear. Journaling also eliminates the possibility of receiving unnecessary advice. Read what I wrote about journaling HERE.
Self-Care on the go are essentially bite size versions of my self-care challenges. It’s open to anyone but it’s specifically created for moms and other working women; who may not have time to participate in all (or any) of the challenges that I provide weekly because of their mommy duties or busy work schedule. You can access the infographic HERE. I’ve been posting them every Sunday since the beginning of the year and I really enjoy creating them. If you’re one of my readers who participate in, or enjoy these options because you find them convenient, leave a comment and let me know what you like about them or what you think I should change. Thanks for going on this self-care journey again with me this week.
By the way, if you’re interested, my Newsletter and Self-Care Accountability Worksheet is now available. The worksheet will act as a supplement to my daily self-care challenges. The purpose is to help you stay on track with your daily self-care routines. If you’re interested in receiving these items weekly, email me at tam33ks@yahoo.com. The self-care worksheet is FREE, but will only be available to my Newsletter subscribers. I will NOT spam you, I will only email once per week.
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