Be Real: The Fine Art of Self-Care (even when it seems impossible)
I don’t know if I was always bad at taking care of myself, however since I have become a mom and now that my kiddos are no longer taking naps, I am sooooo bad at it!
I love to read those articles online – you know the ones – with the fresh-faced young woman on a mountain side or a cliff overlooking a beautiful ocean. Those images along just pull me in. And, then the topic seemingly always goes to mindfulness and self-care. I LOVE these ideas. I can totally get behind them. I am on the mindfulness band wagon. I can talk endlessly about WHY we should be taking care of ourselves.
However, I have the hardest time when it comes to practicing these ideas. Please, tell me I am not the only one.
I want to be that woman practicing yoga on top of a cliff, however I am not. I am more likely to be that woman carrying too many bags and spilling her coffee down the front of her blouse as she clumsily tries to cram the bags and the kids into the back of a very messy minivan. It’s not pretty.
From the moment I wake up I am Mommy. I am wife. I am keeper of the calendar. I am make the lunches. I am worker bee. I am thinker. I am do-er. I am just so many things and in the bustle of it all, where do I squeeze in those moments of self-care?
Well, I have actually found a few things that work for me. And, trust me, so far it has not included spending time inside a gym or on a cliff-side. (Gym coming soon, I hope!)
Quick and Dirty Self-Care for Busy Bees
- Coffee. Look, I LOVE coffee. I probably love it more than it should. However, it occurs to me that one of the reasons I love my coffee so much is because it symbolizes something just for me. I am the only coffee drinker in my house. The act of making it reminds me that I can do something just for myself. And, it is a priority! The act of drinking coffee warms me. I inhale deeply and let that rich black coffee aroma soak into my soul. It makes me smile. Hot tea works too! Who doesn’t love a good warm drink? And, on top of the deliciousness and warmth, there are so many coffees now that have added benefits. I like the Four Sigmatic Mushroom Coffee mix (I add it into my regular coffee). It has great medicinal properties, including improving your brain power – who doesn’t need that! Try it here (https://us.foursigmatic.com/) Another I am just trying is the VitaCup Genius Blend – coffee infused with vitamins. I am always looking for another way to get some vitamins in there! Try it here (https://www.vitacup.com/products/genius-blend).
- Music. There has been a lot of research about how music affects us. For me, when I have those rare moments of alone-time, I find cranking the music and dancing or being silly just helps loosen me up. It reminds me who I am again and sure it’s activity, so let’s call it a workout. Just crank some tunes and shake your booty – you’ll feel better too.
- Coloring. At this point, you should know it’s not just for kids anymore. When adult coloring first became a thing, I wasn’t sure. However, I now love it and try to spend some time coloring at night after the kids go to bed. Something about filling in those little lines and focusing on something relatively pointless just calms me. And, there are GREAT coloring books these days. Check out this mom coloring book (pictured above, purchased on Amazon) with hilarious little pictures about life as a mom. Besides coloring books though, I also love using markers and coloring on canvas (see picture). There are tons of different designs available. I am planning on putting them up in the kids’ rooms when I am done – self-care and art, win-win!
- Journaling. This is something I would like to do, but haven’t started. Although I think it would be a great way for busy people to get some time to themselves. Check out what blogger Raylen has to say about it on her blog.
So, spend some time with you this week – practice that mindfulness, even if it is just in your living room, and remember to take care of yourself. You are worth it.
P.S. Just a quick note that this is not a sponsored blog. I know there are many out there these days that mention items because they are being sponsored – not so here.
How do you find time to take care of yourself? Share your stories of self-care in the comments!
Rachel Swick Mavity, MS, is the Digital Content Coordinator for Beebe Healthcare and is a freelance writer. She lives in Milford with her husband and two children. Her passions include storytelling, photography, healthy products, and coffee.