Be Kind to Yourself

When’s the last time you had a nice long soak in a hot bubble bath? Can’t remember? Maybe it’s about time!

When we make self care a priority, our spirit, mind, heart, and body become restored. Self care is about being a good steward of the life God’s given us. Here are 5 suggestions to keep oneself on a good self-care regimen.

REST: Getting enough sleep? Make going to bed on time a priority.  It’s hard to function without proper rest, but sometimes it’s just hard to fall asleep, or we wake up during the night and can’t get back to sleep. It’s ok to try some melatonin or diphenhydramine once in awhile- at least until your sleep patterns become more regular.

DIET: Some of us forget to eat when we get stressed out, and others of us overeat or snack too often, instead.  Try keeping healthy snacks, fruits, and veggies on hand and eating well-balanced meals to ensure our bodies are getting the proper nutrition and vitamins. Too much sugar can cause the emotional highs and lows we need to avoid. Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated!

EXERCISE: Quite often our days fill up with activities and commitments and before we know it, it’s time to cook dinner and we never made time to exercise.  Even if it’s just a short, brisk walk, setting aside time to move does us a world of good! Choose some music or an audiobook, find yourself a neighborhood or park and get some fresh air. Better yet, call a friend to join you and enjoy the outdoors.  Don’t make excuses if it’s too cold- bundle up and go for it!

LAUGHTER: I’m sure you’ve heard it said that laughter is the best medicine- I have to agree!  The other night I had a girl’s night out with three friends and at one point we all were laughing so hard we were crying!  If you’re in a position where you’ve not had opportunity for some recent good belly-laughs, maybe you’re taking life a little too seriously?  Have a few friends over for a visit or to play some games or watch a comedy.  Have some fun! 

SPIRITUAL TRUTH: Last, but NOT least!  We need to feed ourselves spiritual truths on a daily basis.  Try choosing a promise from God’s Word and commit it to memory. Being intentional to fill our minds with truth prevents it from being filled with lies and deception. We need to stop listening to our inner critic- find out what God says about us! Try Psalm 139 for starters.  It’s full of reminders of just how precious and valuable we are! Priceless!

Sometimes we do things to escape our circumstances. We make choices to numb the pain of whatever we’re facing. Watching Netflix movies all day in our pjs might sound like a fun party, but is it just to avoid what needs to be addressed?

Isolating ourselves may be necessary for some alone time, but don’t let it go on for too long! We need a community that is supportive, encouraging, and one which bears each other’s burdens. This is good self-care, also! Connect with people in your life- even if it feels out of your comfort zone. It could be the huge blessing you’ve been missing!

Get yourself dressed in your cutest, “feel good about yourself” outfit- (NO, not a T-shirt and sweat pants!) No frumpifying allowed! Then, when you’re out and about, pick up a little bouquet of cheerful flowers as a reminder of how beautiful you are. Light some aromatic candles, put on some pleasant music- you get the idea, right?

Now that I’ve finished talking like a MOM, I’ll leave you with this link to an Andrew Peterson song entitled, “Be Kind to Yourself”. Remember, your Heavenly Father loves you- just the way that you are!

https://youtu.be/sYiM-sOC6nE