Self-Care: A Non-Negotiable

You cannot pour from an empty cup!

Life comes at us fast and hard and can be extremely overwhelming at times.

Trying to juggle our careers, spouses/significant others, kids, relatives and friends can be a cumbersome task and can leave us feeling like saying forget this ish I'm out LOL

Life is life and there will always be something for us to "deal with" or "figure out". The question is where do we draw from to find the strength to keep going?

The answer is self-care. Many of us feel that we need to take care of others first and only after that can we even begin to think of taking care of ourselves...lies!!!

We must take care of ourselves first before we can give anything to anyone else! A lot of us feel that putting our own well being first is selfish.

I totally get it because I used to be one of those people.

I am so over it now. I have learned that I am important and I matter. I must practice self-care in order to continue to thrive in life and be there for my loved ones. You can not pour from an empty cup. You have to replenish, recharge and re-energize so that you have something to give to yourself and to others.

Self-care can come in many different forms. It is different for each of us, as our needs vary.

For some, self-care may mean working out every morning or simply beginning the day with meditation and prayer.

A few self-care tips are as follows:

---

• Be selfish! Yep...I said it! Do one thing daily that makes you happy!! It's ok :)

• Learn to say no without explaining yourself

• Create a healthy work-life balance

• Take yourself on a date and leave them darn kids at home lol

• Schedule a spa day or have an at home spa day (hot bath, facial, mani/pedi, deep condition your hair)

• Turn your phone off! I know you are probably clutching your pearls reading this but try it...it will change your life

• Figure out what your sources of unnecessary stress are and then cut them out

• Use daily affirmations to get yourself in a good head space

• Carve out some "me" time for yourself. Use this time to do what brings you peace (reading, journaling, listening to your favorite music, catching up with an old friend)

• Exercise

• Meditate

• Journal - I find it therapeutic to write out my thoughts

• Plan a trip

• Forgive yourself for your past mistakes..I struggle with this...ugh...but I'm getting better each day

• Avoid gossip and drama

• Laugh as often as possible

• Stop being so critical and hard on yourself....you are human...surprise :)

• Rest/sleep

• Be still...sit somewhere and just be for a while

Incorporating a few of these self-care tips daily can drastically reduce our stress levels, improve our physical, mental and emotional well being, as well as cleanse our souls. It makes us better for ourselves as well as our loved ones.

Let's start taking care of ourselves y'all! We so deserve it!