Little Changes Go a Long Way: Self-Care Practices that Shift Your Mindset and Set You Up for Success
As a health coach, I’m frequently asked what diet I follow. I’m asked how many times per week I work out, or how strict I adhere to my own guidelines.
What I’ve found so fascinating through my own self-care and healing journey is that the smaller, everyday changes tend to have a much bigger impact on my health and mindset than the grand sweeping ones. Why? Because they are sustainable. They’re long-term lifestyle changes.
Some of my favorite self-care practices include:
Breathwork
Daily Meditation
Daily journaling (I find 3 pages to be the sweet spot. Total stream of consciousness, just getting it all out there, not putting a performance on for anyone)
Dry brushing before shower, lymphatic drainage after
2 Tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar before food in the morning
Alexis Smart Flower Remedies
Daily movement – walking, yoga, pilates, barre, weightliting. Sometimes there is only time for a 10 minute flow. Whatever my body is feeling that day.
Cooking healthy, whole food meals 3x/week
Calling a friend
No, I do not do each of these things every day. In fact, some days I do none! But these practices alone have helped me not to be as hard on myself when things don’t go according to plan (news flash: they never do). I keep a running list of things that bring me back to center when I’m feeling burned out, tired, and just all around over it. It is at those points in time when you have the least amount of energy to think about what to do next, yet you need self-care practices the most.
What makes you feel connected, whole and energized? What self-care practices do you like to use? How can you incorporate those into your life in a nourishing way that doesn’t feel too prescribed or like it’s a chore?
At the beginning of every calendar year, many people set grand resolutions for themselves. By the end of January, nearly half of those people have given up on those resolutions. There are a few reasons for this, but primarily it is that these resolutions were not specific, measurable, or believable enough. If you don’t actively believe you can attain your goal and map out the steps to get there, you probably won’t get there. If you don’t have an accountability partner, you are less likely to get there too.
When I work with clients, we often set 90-day SMART goals. These goals are:
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Relevant
Time-bound
This is a formula that has worked for me to reach my own goals, and I know will work for you, too. What goals have you been putting off in work or in life? Let’s discuss!