Today I Must Take Care of Myself

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We’ve seen the “self-care is not selfish” idea bandied about in social media the past few years. It seems like a pretty great hashtag to add to your posts about taking a break, going on vacation, having a spa day, etc. But when it comes to actually taking time to take care of yourself, in mind, body, and spirit, do we take it seriously or do we take ourselves for granted? 

A few months ago I had a medical emergency which is basically a result of me not taking care of myself and ignoring symptoms that something was wrong. Self-care is not just a hashtag. It's really changing how you live your life. It's being intentional about things like eating well, getting enough rest, starting/restarting healthier habits, taking up new hobbies for your heart, etc. It's not something you do during the weekends or schedule once a week. It's making a decision every day to do small and big things to take care of yourself.

A lot of times we think that taking care of ourselves is selfish, self-indulgent, and un-Christian. But how can we be of service to others if our mind, body, and spirit are all out of shape? Just like how flight attendants remind us to put the oxygen mask on first before assisting others, we also need to make sure that we are staying healthy in all aspects so that we can fulfill our purpose on earth as long as we are still here.

 

IF YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING:

Choose to start a healthy (physical, mental, or spiritual) habit today and do it consistently for 28 days until it becomes part of your routine. 

 

JOURNALING PROMPT:

What does taking better care of yourself mean right now?

 

DEVELOP HEALTHY HABITS

  • Drink more water - A lot of our health problems start when we drink other liquids more than actual water

  • Quiet time - Spend a few minutes / hours quietly without doing anything. Pray, meditate, rest.

  • Take breaks - Be intentional about taking mini-breaks throughout the day

  • Practice gratitude - Write it down, post it, tell someone you're grateful for them

  • Unplug before bed - Put screens away 30 minutes before bed time

  • Walk more - Walk 10 minutes after every meal. Walk outside longer when you can.

  • Learn new things - You're never too old to learn new things

  • Eat more veggies and fiber - Chia seeds, leafy greens, oatmeal, legumes

  • Sleep consistently - Sleep 6-8 hours a day and do it at consistent times