In an increasingly frantic world, the importance of daily self-care cannot be overstated. Taking the opportunity to look after yourself, turn inwards, and nourish your body and soul is vital to avoid burnout and remain physically and mentally well.
While a holiday or a spa day might give us a welcome break from our everyday lives, true self-care is rarely about such large gestures. Instead, it involves recognizing opportunities for rest and rejuvenation in our daily lives and making them a priority.
For too many of us, taking the time to focus on our wellbeing is far down on our to-do lists. Our lives are busy, and we have become accustomed to always being productive. It takes practice to learn to connect with ourselves and recognize when we need a break. And it also takes willpower to step away from other tasks and set aside time for self-care.
If your life feels stressful or overwhelming, it is a sign that self-care needs to be more of a priority in your day. Of course, that is easy to say and less easy to do.
But something that can have a powerful impact on your self-care practice is building daily rituals and routines that give you touchpoints of calm within your day.
These don’t have to be long or complex. They are simply moments in your day where you check in with yourself, reconnect to your emotional state, and make your wellbeing a priority.
The more you build these daily habits, the easier it becomes to make self-care a regular part of your life. You learn to feel when you are falling out of balance and need to take some time for yourself.
Find What Nourishes You
No one but you can know what will fill your cup and bring you peace. We are all different. For some, it is a long soak in a warm bath. For others, time spent immersed in the pages of a good book. Time alone might be the most valuable for one person, while spending time connecting with friends might be a priority for another.
Sometimes it is just taking a few minutes to breathe. Or getting an early night.
A sense of curiosity is your greatest friend when creating your self-care rituals. Find the activities that bring you a sense of calm and make you feel like your cup has been refilled.
At the heart of self-care is a deep sense of compassion for yourself. For many of us, extending this loving kindness to ourselves is an alien feeling. We are used to caring for others, but less so for ourselves.
We are just as worthy of love and care as anyone else.
Mental and spiritual nourishment is a vital aspect of self-care. But we must not underestimate the power of caring for our physical bodies. Choosing nutritious food, moving our bodies, and getting enough sleep are basic but essential things that are too easily neglected.
Making Self-Care A Routine
With your growing sense of curiosity and compassion, you uncover activities that bring you calm and tranquillity. Making those things a part of your daily routine can prevent them from slipping away in the face of a growing to-do list.
Mornings and evenings are often when people fall into a natural routine. We tend to do the same things in roughly the same order, even if it is as simple as a short skincare routine and reading a few pages before going to bed.
If you already have routines at these times of day, incorporating self-care activities may be fairly easy. Write in a gratitude journal while you sip your first cup of tea, for example, or do a short yin yoga sequence before bedtime.
Of course, self-care doesn’t need to be limited to the start and end of the day. It should be something you turn to any time you are feeling rushed or overwhelmed.
Give yourself permission to slow down and take some time to reconnect to your center, no matter what else is going on around you. You will be much better equipped to tackle any issues that come up if you have spent some time looking after yourself first.
Everyday Rituals
“That, I think, is the power of ceremony. It marries the mundane to the sacred. The water turns to wine; the coffee to a prayer.”
~ Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass
We often associate rituals with grand ceremonies. Something that is an unusual occurrence, requiring special preparation.
But at its simplest, a ritual is just bringing a sense of symbolism and focus to a set of actions.
Tea making is a good example. Preparing a cup of tea is something most of us do without much thought. But in some cultures, it is an exercise in mindfulness, with every action done intentionally and with forethought.
Bringing that sense of awareness to parts of your daily routine can be a powerful anchor for your self-care practice. It encourages you to slow down, engage your senses, and act with intention.
These islands of calm tranquillity provide moments where you can turn your focus inwards and concentrate on your emotional state. With slow deliberation, your actions become a way of holding yourself in kindness and compassion.
Making self-care a daily habit is a matter of leaning into these everyday moments and recognizing their potential to nourish and uplift you, physically, mentally, and spiritually.
With routines and rituals in place, self-care becomes a regular part of your life.