How to Practice Self-Care Daily

Self-care is becoming a regular topic here on my blog, and I’m loving it! As I always say, self-care is not SELFISH it’s necessary. Self-care actually is quite selfless, because you’re helping yourself be the best you, which will only benefit those around you!

With everything we try to juggle in our daily lives it can be difficult to make time for ourselves. However, self-care doesn’t require much dedication. If you can develop habits of everything I mention below, you’ll easily be practicing self-care daily.

Taking care of yourself will lead to self-love, and I guarantee you will start to see many positive changes in your life.

*Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or psychologist. Self-care is something I have become really passionate about, but if you suffer from depression, anxiety, or other mental issues you should seek professional help! Self-care can definitely help those things, but please be aware of your condition and understand that this post may not be for you.

Exercise

You knew this would be here didn’t you?! Well, of course it is! Exercise is the BEST way to show yourself some love. Exercise is good for your heart, your whole body, and your mind.

Exercise…
-boosts your mood
-increases energy levels
-helps you sleep better
-helps you maintain a healthy weight
-improves your body image
-and can prevent and reverse many diseases

Stop taking your body for granted. Your body is your temple and you should treat it as so!

It’s likely that you have the ability to move, bend, lift, etc. Not everyone can say that. And honestly if you don’t use it you lose it, and you may eventually end up with a lot of pain.

I know it can be difficult to get dressed and get moving or go to the gym, but if you want to thrive both physically and mentally it’s so important to make a habit of exercise.

I have a post that may help you make exercise a habit, but it really just comes down to making it a priority.

Eat healthy

Just like exercise, nutrition is so important…if not more important.

Unfortunately, a lot of food these days are filled with sugar, chemicals, dyes, and more. Reading labels and paying attention to what you eat is a necessity if you want to feel your best.

When I eat poorly, I suffer physically and mentally. I don’t sleep as well, my skin breaks out, I feel bloated, I get tired, I have more cravings, I’m not as productive, and so on.

I know I’m not alone here. Sugar and processed foods cause mental fog and loss of energy. Both of which definitely won’t help you feel good about yourself.

You don’t need to eat clean 24/7, but again treat your body as a temple! Aim to eat 80-90% clean foods and 10-20% “junk” food. You can still indulge in unhealthy food, but in moderation!

Book to Read: The Mind-Gut Connection

Take your vitamins

In addition to a healthy diet, supplement with vitamins! I first suggest you get some blood work done to find out what you may be deficient in, then purchase the appropriate vitamins.

As always, I highly recommend Ritual multivitamins (I have a full review). I also take vitamin C every other day, vitamin B-12, a digestive enzyme, and a probiotic. To read more about the vitamins and supplements I take, read this post.

You can get all of your nutritional needs from food, but sometimes that’s not easy to do. It also can be difficult to remember to take your vitamins every morning, which can cause a number of issues. I like to use a pill organizer and place it in the kitchen so I take them right after breakfast!

Talk/interact with positive people

Negative energy and people who complain can really take a toll on your mood and thoughts. You may not even notice it sometimes, but that negative energy tends to rub off on you.

Try your best to talk to and be around positive, more uplifting people who enjoy laughing. I am so fortunate to have a couple of co-workers who make my job 10x better, we’re constantly laughing. I also have a couple of co-workers who love to complain about their lives and constantly say negative things. Honestly, I try my best to either avoid these people or to halt the conversation as much as possible.

It’s OK to empathize with complainers and listen to them. However, don’t feel obligated to be the person to try to bring them up. Don’t drain your energy.

If you’re having a hard time finding people with a more positive outlook on life, listen to podcasts or audio from motivational speakers or people who inspire you!

Some of my favorites include:

Gary Vaynerchuk – Between gratitude, self-awareness, entrepreneurship, and social media he covers it all. He tells it like it is and he is hands down my favorite influencer.

Tony Robbins – If you’ve never listened to Tony Robbins, do yourself a favor and go listen NOW! He is THE ultimate motivational speaker and talk about all things personal development and business. He motivates me every time I listen to him.

Natalie Bacon – Natalie is my coach, but she offers several courses, free content on her blog, and her podcast is my favorite for personal development. Her advice is practical and makes you realize how simple change really can be.

A few others I enjoy listening to are Kathrin from Manifestation Babe, Les Brown, and Eric Thomas. Or you can simply search, “motivational speeches” on Youtube and you’ll find endless content to fill your brain with positivity!

Avoid getting lost in social media

Social media is extremely addicting and it will easily consume hours of your day. Be aware of how often you scroll through the various feeds.

Does any of it improve your life?

Do you feel jealous or bad about yourself after seeing other people’s lives and bodies?

When you post something does it bother you when you don’t get very many likes?

Getting lost in social media is normal these days, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good thing. Try scheduling time for social media to limit your use of it. And as soon as you notice negative feelings come up from what you see, get off.

I highly suggest “detoxing” from social media for a week or a month to see how it really makes you feel. I did a 30 day detox of Instagram and I haven’t been back on it in almost 6 months!

Related Blog Post: Social Media, Over-Consumerism, and Digital Addiction

Read

Books are one of my favorite things in life. I love personal growth, and the fact that I can buy a book from some of my favorite people and read their experiences and advice, is amazing!

I learn or gain something from every book I read and it’s a shame that more people don’t take advantage of all the brilliant knowledge out there. Even reading a fiction novel opens up your mind to creativity and imagination.

Spend a few minutes each day reading and you’ll grow to love it!

Do something you enjoy

What is a little something you can do daily that you love?

Meditate? Draw? Write? Take a walk? Sit outside? Drink your coffee in silence?

You can find pleasure in these simple tasks and make them a priority.

Do what you said you were going to do

Did you write a long to do list with the intention of crossing everything off? Then the day is over and 10 things still haven’t been completed? Try to avoid that.

Instead, write a reasonable to do list and do ALL OF IT. This way you can prevent disappointment and negative talk to yourself. Being productive, getting things done, and doing things you said you would do greatly benefits your self-discipline and confidence.

Practice good personal hygiene

Skipping out on your personal hygiene routine can be easy to do when you’re feeling tired or burnt out, but always make it a priority.

Take a shower – use it as a way to wind down before bed and you can crawl into your sheets clean and refreshed.

Wash your face – At least splash some water on your face to get any dirt off and moisturize/put on an spf.

Brush your teeth/floss/mouth wash – Oral health is SO important. I know many people skip out on flossing but do you know how much bacteria gets stuck between your teeth??

Brush your hair – If you have long hair be sure to brush it to avoid tangles and pain later.

Put on clean clothes – Even if you’re staying home all day, change out of your pjs into clean clothes.

I know these sound like silly, simple things but a lot of people skip out on them. Feeling refreshed and putting yourself together can make a big difference in your confidence and how you carry yourself.

Get enough sleep

We’ve talked about exercise and nutrition, so of course sleep is on this list too! I know it always feels like there isn’t enough time in the day, but if you prioritize your sleep you’re more likely to be productive the following day.

Lack of (quality) sleep leads to:

-a weakened immune system
-a lack of focus/clarity
-memory issues
-higher risk of becoming obese and developing a number of diseases
-irritability/a bad mood
-increased stress levels
-and more.

Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day would be ideal. So figure out what time you need to go to bed to get 7-8 hours of sleep and aim for that.

If you have trouble sleeping try to wind down before bed (no screens, take a warm bath, dim the lights), be sure your room is the optimal temperature, make it really dark and quiet, and have a quality pillow and mattress.

Otherwise, seriously consider seeing a doctor so you can rest well and thrive!

Related Post: How to Transform Your Life When You Don’t Know Where to Start

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Implement all or as many of these practices as you can every day and you’ll feel like a whole new person! Care for yourself, love yourself, and the rest will follow.

How do you practice self-care daily??