Let’s face it, adopting a self-care routine is difficult. I confess there are some days where I simply don’t follow any routine. Being ill this past week has meant that I completely abandoned my regular routines, not they were ever set in stone for very long.
Self-care does require extra effort. But it’s worth it and the more you learn to celebrate your self-care wins, the better you’ll get at self-care.
Everyone is forging their own way forward and as you do, how you see things determines where you’ll find your successes.
This morning I went for a run, 2.4 miles. I stopped a few times as I recorded some footage of my running. I chatted with some people as they passed by as well, which means that I spent more time stopping than I did running. Practising self-care means that despite the lack of distance and pace, I spoke to myself with loving kindness. When I got home, I felt good about getting out the door. That was my intention. That’s it. Out the door running and smiling. Did I achieve that? Absolutely.
So how do we celebrate our self-care wins especially when we feel like we are failing to find time to take care of ourselves? Here are 3 things that help us enjoy our wins.
1. Know what self-care is, all of it
To celebrate our wins, we need to recognise them when they happen. Self-care is much more than most of us think. You are most likely practicing self-care in ways that you don’t even realise. It’s our ability to care for ourselves, being intentional about caring for ourself. Self-care is being aware of how we are caring for ourself. It’s about taking self responsibility for our own well-being – mind, body and soul.
2. Reflect and acknowledge your self-care
It’s during times when it’s been a struggle to stick to a self-care routine that it’s important to reflect on the progress that you have made learning to take better care of yourself. There are always wins, the wins that we don’t always see because the inner critic tries to divert our focus to the lack of routine. To overcome the critic and silence it with praise, list everything you do to take care of you. Here’s my self-care list from yesterday:
- Smiling at myself in the mirror
- Changing my bedding
- Pampering my skin with cleansing and a clay mask
- Reviewing my spending against my budgets
- Getting Extra sleep (afternoon nap) when I felt tired
- Spending time with a friend
- expressing my emotions in a journal entry
- Tidying and clearing spaces in the house
- Drinking water
- Watching a movie and just enjoying myself
- Stretching
- Trying a new tapping meditation
3. Celebrate progress
Progress is a win. There’s lots of progress written in my list, progress in so many ways. Write your list. Celebrate your wins. Savour it, even if you only list one thing. One thing is progress.
“Progress equals happiness. Even if you’re not where you want to be yet. If you’re on the road, if you’re improving, if you’re making progress, you’re gonna love it. You’re gonna feel alive.” Tony Robbins
The more you celebrate your wins, the easier it becomes to practice self-care. When you praise yourself, cheer yourself on, you’ll find new ways to incorporate it into your day, tweaking your efforts as you go. This is why I believe establishing a self care routine feels so elusive at times. It’s always shifting.
To celebrate your self-care wins, keep it simple. Know what is self care. Reflect and acknowledge your efforts. And celebrate your progress. The simpler you keep it, the easier it is to make progress.
Everyone’s healing journey is their own, but your don’t have to travel alone. Healing and self-care is easier when you have support. Surround yourself with others who are committed to their own self-care. I think we can all take note of the team spirit that we see in sports – to achieve success requires commitment and teamwork. Join the Blossome Community.
Kim Moore is the Founder of Blossome CIC. She lost her husband Chris to alcoholism in 2017. She faced a difficult journey while raising 2 children alone, with her family living on the opposite side of the world. Kim founded the Blossome Community and The Pathway to Peace healing journey so no one would have to feel alone while enduring the trauma of a loved one’s battle with alcoholism or addiction. She is also on a mission to end the generational cycle of alcoholism and addiction in families.
