I’ve been focusing a lot on self care in my life over the past few years as I have been slowly healing my body, and it has began to evolve in a really beautiful way. There isn’t anyone who is going to have the ability to care for you like yourself. We get to claim that. In the Fall of 2016, I was incredibly tired of feeling scattered and personally unnourished with my hormone imbalance that I decided to truly declare it, and commit to loving myself in the form of nourishment for my body. It can be easier said than done as a woman with a FULL life in general. I choose the word FULL over BUSY because I used to wear busy like a badge of honor and I shed that story a long time ago!
We hear often about routines from mentors and in personal development books. But what I’ve found is routines tend to put us in the masculine energy of doing, and feeling like ‘one more thing’ to add to our plates.
I’ve evolved my self care practice over the years into ritual over routine. Ritual is sacred. Ritual is our birthright. Ritual allows for the wonderment, beauty, and fullness of life to come through. Ritual brings presence.
Below is my go to list at the moment for sacred self care rituals. It is constantly evolving and transforming as I evolve.
1. Tuning into my favorite audiobook/podcast/song while doing chores or mindless tasks: Yes, picture me doing the dishes, folding laundry, or driving to run errands. Tuning in to some of my favorite podcasts like EXPANDED with Lacy Phillips helps me either learn something new, get a laugh, or have a few moments to let the creative side of my brain get a little workout. Music also moves me and allows me to drop in rather quickly. Sometimes I’ll put on one of my dad’s old vinyl records or play a soulful playlist. Getting lost in the vibrations creates so much joy in daily, weekly, or even monthly tasks that used to feel mundane for me in the past. Sometimes I’ll even call in my seen and unseen support, pray, or recite affirmations during this time while breathing deep belly breaths.
2. A solid morning ritual: It feels cliche to say “wake up earlier” if you don’t feel like you have time for yourself in the mornings. You tend to either identify as a morning person or not… Right? Well I invite you to consider an alternative perspective. I have NEVER BEEN A MORNING PERSON. NEVER! I now honor my body and know that I need a solid 7-8 hours of sleep to thrive, so I make sure the first hour is spent for myself and for nobody else.
Here’s a strategy Hal Elrod (author of the Miracle Morning, which changed my life) suggests to help you change this habit.
Here’s what I do: Do not hit snooze (phone charges in bathroom so I have to get up – plus gives you an EMF break), drink an 8 oz. glass of water (you generally feel tired in the AM because you’re dehydrated, not from lack of sleep), brush my teeth, shower (alternating between cold, hot, and cold to wake up my body on a cellular and soul level), moving meditation with breath and sound for at least 15 minutes or 3 song’s worth, read my daily affirmation(s) (currently it is “I AM the abundance”), stretch, and finally 3 pages of streamlined consciousness journaling.
3. A non-tox makeup routine that accentuates your God-given beauty: Sometimes my only self-care in the day is to use my Beautycounter Flawless in Five bundle to feel like even if my shit isn’t together, I look semi-presentable for the day. I love this ritual because it comes together in 5 minutes (okay, more like 3:15 if I’m honest), it’s safer, and really does make me feel like a million bucks without all the nasty chemicals. This added bonus shifts our vibration within minutes so we are more magnetic throughout our day because we FEEL good to tap into my intuition. Starting my workday from this state puts in me the frequency of receiving and alignment, and allows for a much smoother day full of joy, connection, and expansion.
4. 2x a week facials: (it’s not what you think) I’m not talking about visiting your local spa and spending hundreds of dollars a week on life changing skincare treatments (although I do love a good spa treatment from time to time). I’m talking about one little at home facial in a jar… My favs right now are Beautycounter’s Overnight Resurfacing Peel and Charcoal Mask. I love to use the charcoal mask during my bath rituals with rose petals, essential oils, and epsom salt. I’ll often massage my daily facial cleanser into my face, jaw, and temples slowly as well to create a little facial massage in the evenings with low lights and a candle lit. Simple, yet powerful.
5. Getting out in nature: Yep, my favorite self care tip is the simplest because all it involves is your shoes (barefoot is even better to ground into the earth) and actually walking out your front door. I am an earth sign, so nature is THE THING that gets me calm and connected immediately. Getting that vitamin d from the sun is also a MUST. It’s important to move your body every day for 30 minutes, so go for a walk with your spouse, your child(ren), and/or your pup. Make it a priority because YOU ARE WORTH IT!
6. A streamlined morning supplement routine. Part of my morning routine is being consistent with a manageable morning supplement routine using CLEAN ingredients. In an ideal world, I’d take all 500 supplements that I know and love, but that would be crazy expensive/exhausting and I really want to make sure it’s something that I can do without a lot of effort! After seeing my Functional MD, and getting tested for everything (especially my hormones), I got more committed to supplements because I knew they were targeting exactly what my body needs. I HIGHLY recommend doing the same so you can understand how your body is functioning and what you might be deficient in. I also want to point out that once a quarter I give myself a 3 day reset juice cleanse ritual, and I do my best to get my nutrients from whole foods, yet it doesn’t always give me what I need.
7. Dance. As often as you possibly can. Let’s get weird and bring more playful joy into our lives. When in doubt, dance it out… Truly. It allows us to move stuck emotions or stagnant energy, and we always feel better after dancing. Sometimes I choose songs that have no lyrics, other times I want to connect to the words. I let my intuition pick the song for me often and jump around or move slowly while stretching. Our body is a living, breathing organism that will talk to us and tell you what she needs.
There you have it, my top 7 ways to work in a little self-care ritual into your day!
And guess what, nobody told you you had to go to the gym for 12 hours, or spend your whole paycheck on a spa day to give yourself a little love (unless you want to, then by all means go on with your bad self).
My invitation to you is that if something on this list resonates with you, find out how to incorporate it into your day. Just one thing – and I’m confident that the more you choose yourself each day, the easier it becomes to take the next step.
Side note, if you STILL have a hard time doing something for yourself, share this list to your partner, and let THEM love on you with some goodies you can be confident about.
Go forth and LOVE YO’ SELF!
P.S. drop a comment below and let me know how you nourished yourself today in the form of a sacred ritual.
