Don’t we all enjoy a good day of self care and relaxation? Pampering ourselves has become one of the most profitable businesses in the country. Nail salons, dry bars, spas, vacations, an epidemic of Pinterest smoothies recipes and the list goes on. We crave all the ways to take care of ourselves but are we truly caring for ourselves or just taking Instagram worthy “Self Care Sunday” pictures? So let me tell you ways that I actually enjoy taking care of myself that also prove to be beneficial!
- Hydration
Personally I use the fit bit app to monitor my water intake but there are so many ways to do so. If you’re the more creative type, try drawing some cute little water glasses on your planner or in a notebook and coloring it in when you’ve finished 8 glasses for the day. Statistics have shown that we need about half our body weight in oz’s (ex. if you weight 130 you need 65oz of water) for the day just to stay hydrated but more than that to actually do our bodies some good.
What benefits do I get? My skin has flourished, I’ve lost weight, my hair is shining, I have less digestion issues. Staying hydrated makes a huge difference in how you’ll feel every day and one of the best ways to care for yourself. - Staying well informed
This one probably sounds a little strange but hear me out. There are millions of articles being shared all over Facebook, Yahoo News, WRAL and every other news outlet across our country at any given moment. My practice is to read what catches my eye, but then fact check it myself! I’ll quickly google what people are saying about a hot topic or article and always verify health related articles have been written by a reputable source. Keeping yourself up to date on news, health and wellness or even just the latest trends is a healthy way to not only keep your mind stimulated by learning new things, but also an awesome way to boost your confidence. It always feels horrible when everyone around you is discussing the latest current event and you know nothing of the subject…yuck…even just having a small part in the conversation or your own opinion on it, always feels great, which again is a great way to take care of yourself 🙂 - “No Technology” Hours
This one is probably a little less strange sounding, but still incredibly difficult for us to follow. To be honest I’m not so great at doing this either but I feel such a benefit when I actually do it. There’s not really a certain way or time but I try to put away the computer and phone when I get home. This allows me more time to get things done on my to-do list or spend more time with Nick. Even if it’s only an hour, I always feel better about what I was able to accomplish, even if that’s just sitting and reading a book or drinking some coffee and relaxing. Not having my phone or laptop in my face every second that I’m home allows my mind to clear and my eyes to relax too! I recommend starting with just 30 minutes. Set a timer on your phone and put it in another area of your house. When the timer goes off, you can get back on the phone or computer. Eventually, I promise you’ll find that you enjoy the time away from technology more and more.
Let’s just keep it simple this time around. Try these three (simple) steps and see how you feel!! Self care doesn’t always have to be about face masks and bubble baths, but practical things as well. I hope these little tips help you tremendously in feeling confident, healthy and happy!
xoxo,
Camille
Camille Edwards 