Do you sneak out for a twenty-minute walk, and notice your mind flick to the tasks you “must” complete? Maybe you get five minutes into meditation, and then fall prey to persistent worries? Or do you know in your heart that you desperately need a massage, or Chiropractic care, yet keep putting it off as a perceived luxury? Life is busy; filled with incessant chores and obligations. But none of us — yes, including you — can sprint a marathon. We, humans, are not designed to always “be on”. Yet, we forget this simple truth. We want to do more, be more, have more. To be a better parent, a more accomplished professional, a more prosperous person. But the funny thing is, when we fail to prioritize down time, we falter. We become less productive. We grow stressed. We experience fatigue and pain and diminished vibrancy. Over time, we become less well. We chew through our reserves and find ourselves running on empty. We keep pushing, even though we’ve spent our energy. Eventually, there is nothing left in the tank. This is why self care is important. Patients regularly consult with us for a vast array of problems and conditions. When we dive into the nuts and bolts of their issue (or, as it often is, issues), we find they have skipped self care and it’s taken its toll. We’re not robots; we have living tissue that needs respite, recovery, nourishment, and tending. My goodness, the body has an in-built clue in the form of sleep. Yet, we regularly sacrifice slumber to “get more done”. So, I’d like to ask you three questions. Be honest with yourself… When subtle signs accumulate, when your body and mind gently whispers, do you listen? Or do you push through, work harder? Do you feel guilty much of the time? If you answered yes to any of these, the ideas for self care we cover in this article are essential for you! If you answered no, great! These tips can still absolutely form a part of your wellbeing plan. Prioritize your health now, or you will be forced to make time for illness later. The former is rewarding, life-enhancing, rejuvenating, and sensible. The latter is taxing, difficult, and costly. Heath rocks, illness sucks. So, how can you cultivate your wellbeing? Remember that you deserve to be well. Now, here are five of our fav ideas for self care!
1. Focus on you How often do you stop to consider what you need? More importantly, how often do you then act? Modern society pushes a dangerous preset. It insists that if you aren’t busy, you aren’t worthy. That we should be everything to everyone, all of the time. That, especially we, women, must endlessly fulfill the needs of others to be “good”. It’s time to call this out! You are deserving of love and light, of care and attention, of time spent focusing on your needs and yours alone. This is not a selfish act. Firstly, as an incredible living creature, it is your birthright. This is enough. Secondly, tending to yourself fills your well; it restocks your stores. This provides an abundant reservoir where from you can amply give to those around you, without running dry. You will become more present, more productive, more able, more loving, more alive because you’ve nourish the place from which you give: yourself. If this is difficult for you, start small and build. Set five minute daily allotments. During this time, do something for yourself (and only yourself)… - Settle down with a warm cup of tea - Read pages from your favorite book - Cuddle your adoring pet - Focus on your breath - Write in your journal - Read affirmations As these short snippets become habit, expand them. Make more time, try a new hobby, guard this sanctuary as the life-giving practice it is. 2. Breathwork Have you given your breath much thought? Most people don’t. Yet, this constant, subconscious action allows life. Without it, we would last mere minutes. As breath brings in oxygen and expels carbon dioxide, its rate and depth change during stress and calm. It is intimately involved in our sympathetic-parasympathetic systems; that is, our stress-relax network. When we face fear, the sympathetic system takes over. Inspiration-expiration rate speeds up and becomes shallower. This delivers oxygen to the muscles so we can fight or flee. When we relax, however, the parasympathetic system is dominant. Breathing calms, deepens and lengthens. We can use breath to provide evidence to the body that we are safe. In doing so, we can unwind and de-stress. We push ourselves into our parasympathetic system. This simple exercise can be used anywhere, at any time: - Sit with your spine upright and your chest open - Drop your shoulders and allow your body to relax - Breath in deeply and slowly, allowing your belly to expand - Once your chest feels filled, hold for several seconds - Using the same gentle pace, exhale - Once your exhalation feels naturally complete, hold for several seconds - Repeat three to five times We teach our patients a range of breathing techniques and powerful ways to calm stress. A consultation with our gorgeous breathwork guru, Bonnie, will provide you with breathing practices that enhance your life, safely and naturally. 3. Seek solace within The modern world is stimulating, always “on,” and frequently overwhelming. This can lead to life lived on the treadmill of arousal. So, when we experience the niggle of wrongness, or become swamped by it, we tend to look outwards. We feel we need an outside fix. But, while expert help is often warranted, even transformative, solace begins within. Until you still your psychology and physiology, nothing changes. Once you do, everything shifts. To cultivate inner solace, begin with these practices: - Be patient - Default to kindness and love - Walk often, in nature is best - Accept the things you cannot change - Prioritize you time and breathwork - Speak to yourself like you would a young child - Pause before you respond - Still your mind - Meditate regularly 4. Lay down judgment I’d like you to spend a day mindfully taking notes. Carry a notepad and pen. Each time a judgment pops into your mind, write down the time and thought. Statements like… Jane works too hard Jack is lazy What the hell were they thinking? Why did I do such a stupid thing? You’re an idiot! I should have done or said, “X” (Be acutely aware of the statements you make to yourself about yourself) There are an endless supply! Once you become aware of your judgmental internal chatter, you can begin to question your assumptions and decrease their frequency. See, harsh judgement is (usually) unhelpful. It creates stress and illness, while disconnecting you from others and yourself. Instead, permit the frailties of the human experience. Create a life filled with acceptance and allowance. Focus on what you want to feel like. Let go of the rest. 5. Don’t wait! We, humans, have finite time on this planet. We can’t know exactly when we will inhale our last breath. It may be tomorrow or in eighty years time. But we can decide now that we will empower our own existence and take steps to make our time worthwhile, enjoyable, present. With this in mind, don’t wait until your body aches before you seek care. Don’t wait until your burdened mind falters. Don’t wait until life’s heaviness descends like a pair of concrete boots before you walk free. You deserve to live your life flourishing, joyful and pain-free! A quick note for parents There are many reasons why self care is important, including your kids. See, your children are closely watching how you care for yourself. Your actions speak louder than your words. If you put yourself last, you set the standard for their future selves. They will repeat your example. Don’t put yourself last. Instead, share tips for self care. Teach them not only ideas for self care, but why this practice matters greatly. Why they deserve it? Why they need it? How it helps?
Are you ready to take your self care responsibility seriously? Home ideas for self care are crucial. Make no mistake, these five practices can transform your life. But, there are many pieces to the human being puzzle. Expert help and guidance offers deeper connection and enhanced, targeted approaches and results. It’s like super juice for your wellbeing! We have been caring for patients for an aeon, yet we felt there was a need for more; for deeper, soulful therapy and support; for a focus on self care. With this in mind, we’re excited to announce the grand opening of our lifestyle center! The Lifestyle Center offers an abundance of self care therapy options. From an oxygen bar to mental health counseling to nutrition counseling, Reiki to meditation, Healing Touch to Chiropractic, and more. Our foundation is providing a safe space to support education, positivity, and inner growth by fostering an environment of self care, self compassion, and self nurturing. We support individuals in healing from physical, mental and emotional trauma, and enhancing the community through holistic healthcare, nutrition, and mental health services. We do this because it’s our passion, because the world needs to mend, and because you, gorgeous, deserve to live a vibrant, beautiful and meaningful life. You are our purpose. Ready to secure your appointment?
Book online, call us on 908-806-3040, or pop in and see us at 105 NJ-31 Suite #102. Flemington, NJ 08822, USA. We look forward to caring for you soon!
Disclaimer: This Website offers advice designed for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice, treatment, or diagnosis of a healthcare professional. We recommend consulting with a registered health professional before implementing any advice.