Social media became the lens through which people viewed the world and the people in it, and trying to keep up with friends’ apparent ability to sail through, was no easy task for most people. For example, from afar, people observed parents doing a 5am yoga start with green smoothie in hand, followed by home-schooling their obedient grade A children for hours at a time, whilst making perfect banana bread and doing top class Zoom calls in the process — it was a completely unrealistic view of life but one people tried to live up to.
The reality was that many people were grappling to stay sane, doing Zoom calls in pyjama bottoms as kids ran riot in the house. In my case, as some of you know, my son regularly made an appearance on camera, just to say Hi, although I did avoid the pyjama thing! 😊 But I was fine with my son popping in, as I truly understand real life and I didn’t feel pressure to pretend or measure up. I made sure to have daily self-care time to reset so it was all balanced out. For many people however, pressure to perform was put before self-care.
I learnt many years ago though, that self-care is the very basis of human function, it should NEVER be treated as a luxury. This is the reason I created a membership club, it’s a way for you to prioritise self-care and wellness, helping you to be the best you can be. See https://www.donnakennedy.com/join-donnas-club/ for details. I made it a must to self-care, so I could stay on top of my game, regardless of life’s busyness. If you don’t care for yourself, eventually something will give, and you or others will suffer. So, the question is, what do you do to care for yourself? Do you intentionally have “rest-and-reset-time” or do you try to squeeze in a minute here and there if you can, as everyone else gets sorted first?
Here’s the thing, you cannot pour from an empty cup! Happiness and success are about giving people the best of you, not what’s left of you. That said, I’d like you to consider giving yourself more self-care from now on, even if your life is busy. Here are 8 ideas that you can implement immediately. And if you become part of my club, you will have me in your corner for support. https://www.donnakennedy.com/join-donnas-club/
Make an appointment with yourself
If you schedule a doctor or dentist appointment, do you keep it? If someone said they want you to do A, B, or C, at the appointment time, wouldn’t you say that you have an appointment? Of course, and you wouldn’t give them the details either; you would just say that you have an appointment and that you are happy to help before or after it. So, what if you were to make a weekly appointment with yourself? Block it off in your diary, just as you would a doctor or dentist appointment. No need to details, explanation or justification — you just have “an appointment”. Make it a priority and commit to it!
Prioritise Balance
Just like the spokes on a wheel, for a wheel to turn properly it can’t have any weak spokes. When it comes to life, there are many parts and unless you ensure balance in all areas, you’ll have a bumpy ride. Don’t put all your energy in one place. Place equal attention on all defined areas.
*Club members: please review your needs wheel and do an update review.
Reset
Taking time out to reset doesn’t have to mean booking a holiday in the sun for two weeks, although that would be nice too! Reset time could be taking fifteen minutes a day to go for a walk, to read a book, to do a mediation, or to do absolutely nothing (one of my favourites!). It’s time where you press pause on life and step out to rest and reset. It’s a good idea to write out what relaxation time means to you and then make sure to fit it in. Don’t apologise for it. You deserve to function at a basic level.
Have an “endorphin release session”
Pumping up endorphins (happy chemicals) in your system is a great way to tell your body that you care. This means moving your body. Swim, gym, walk, cycle, dance around the kitchen with a mop – it’s all good, as long as you move and it’s a purposeful timed session! Ironically, exercise gives you more energy and it helps you feel better about yourself. It also gives you clarity and focus. Think of ways you could incorporate more movement into your day but in a purposeful “me-time” way.
Go to a class
Is there something you would love to learn but have been putting off? A new skill, a new language, a new hobby? A good way to approach this question is to ask yourself what would you do if work and income wasn’t an issue? There’s a big clue in that answer!
Join a club
Being around like-minded people can be a great source of motivation, inspiration and support. If you have a particular interest, you can be sure there’s a club to support it. Check out what’s happening in your area. This may be online but sometimes even your local library can point you in the right direction. If you need to feel more focussed to achieve your goals you definitely need to consider becoming part of my club. https://www.donnakennedy.com/join-donnas-club/
Pamper Yourself
What do you do to “gift yourself”. Don’t wait for others to acknowledge your worth. The greatest self-belief can come from self-acknowledgement not outward validation. If you were to show someone else you care, how would you pamper them? Would you treat them to something nice, take them out for lunch, give them a spa voucher, buy a ticket to a game? Do it for yourself!
Take yourself for a coffee/date
I do this as my go-to. I have a busy life with lots of people requiring my time, so time out on my own, albeit seeming like a recluse, is bliss for me. I simply find myself a little corner in a café and just watch the world go by on my own. Nobody requires anything of me, I am there to be served and enjoy. It’s so simple yet it resets me if I need it. And that’s the key, is to find what you need to rest, relax and reset.
You are here to enjoy life as a human being, not to be a machine on overdrive. Self-care is essential to your happiness and success!
And if you haven’t downloaded my free ebook yet, make sure to pick it up here https://donnakennedy.com/#ebook It will show you how you can begin to self-care more and create the life you want. And as I said, you are very welcome to be part of my club, where you will be supported and guided by me and my leadership experts. It will be one of the best things you ever do. For the price of a cup of coffee a week, your life could be completely enhanced. Join now at https://www.donnakennedy.com/join-donnas-club/