Self-care intentions are essential for establishing a personalised and effective self-care routine. By setting clear intentions, you can prioritise your well-being and create a framework for your regular self-care. Follow the steps below to write your self-care intentions for the Summer Self-care programme:
Step 1: Reflect on Your Needs
Take some time to reflect on your current self-care needs and what you think you want to achieve through this self-care programme. Consider different aspects of your life, such as physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being. Identify areas that require attention and improvement. Reflect on the self-care assessment that you took at the start of the programme, which hopefully has you thinking about all areas of self-care.
Step 2: Set Realistic and Specific Intentions
Ensure your self-care intentions are realistic and specific to make them more actionable. Vague intentions can be challenging to implement. For example, instead of saying, “I want to relax more,” you can say, “I intend to dedicate 30 minutes each day to practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or meditation.”
Step 3: Prioritise Self-Care Categories
Divide your self-care intentions into categories to ensure a well-rounded approach. Common categories include physical self-care, mental well-being, emotional self-care, personal self-care, and professional self-care. Allocate specific intentions to each category based on your needs and goals.
Step 4: Write Down Your Intentions
Using a journal, preferably your Blossome journal, write down your self-care intentions for the 12-week Summer Self-Care Program. Here’s a suggested format:
- Category: Start with the name of the category (e.g., Physical self-care).
- Intention: Clearly state your intention within that category (e.g., “I intend to engage in regular physical exercise for at least 30 minutes, five times a week”).
- Details: Provide any specific details, or actions, you plan to use to fulfill the intention (e.g., “I will try different types of exercises like jogging, swimming, and yoga to keep my routine interesting”).
Step 5: Make it Measurable and Trackable
Include measurable aspects in your intentions to help track your progress. For instance, instead of saying, “I want to be happier,” you can state, “I intend to practice gratitude journaling every evening and rate my daily happiness on a scale of 1 to 10.” use a 7-day habit tracker or 30-day habit tracker to monitor your progress.
Step 6: Review and Adjust Regularly
Regularly review your self-care intentions to assess their effectiveness. Adjust them as necessary to ensure they remain relevant and aligned with your evolving needs and goals. Consider making modifications weekly or bi-weekly to fine-tune your self-care program.
Step 7: Set Intentions for Wins and Setbacks
Setbacks will happen. There will be moments when you want to quit, when you don’t want to show up. Set an intention for how you’ll reach out for support during these moments, to help you through the discomfort and resistance. You’ll also experience wins. Set an intention for how you will celebrate those amazing moments.
By following these steps, you can create a set of meaningful self-care intentions for your 12-week Summer Self-Care Programme. Remember to prioritise your well-being, be consistent with your self-care and intentions, and adjust them as needed. Embrace self-care as an ongoing practice to cultivate a healthier and more fulfilling life
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.
