Taking Care

As I explore my options of Wellness Coaching, as well as coast along in my own journey of health, I'm certain of one thing: self care is the bottom line of it all. And, as research and experience has taught me, it all begins with your mind. A positive mindset sets us up for success. Creating happiness and self love has been a long journey, but a powerful one nonetheless, and I believe that all good things naturally fall into place once this is established; eating healthy because you want to nourish your body; exercising because you want to feel good - these are fueled by the positivity that follows your self respect. Skipping a meal after a splurge because you feel guilty, justifying over eating because you didn't eat all day, or over exercising to "work off" things are all causing harm, not only nutritionally, but emotionally, because they are fueled by a negative sense of self. Once you rewire your mind to treat yourself with respect, good habits naturally occur, and you are able to make more clear, healthy, and mindful decisions.

I'm a morning person. I absolutely love waking up hours before my family and taking that time to myself. I'll join friends for a run, go to the gym, or read and write while I sip a bowl (yes, bowl) of coffee. I used to just view this as "me time" and left it at that, but what I didn't realize was how much of an impact my mornings had on the rest of my day - and my choices throughout. It was my time to be selfish, to think only of myself and my needs, and to take the opportunity to start the day on the right foot, regardless of how the previous day went. It was always a new start, and I was in control.  decided to use this control to establish healthy habits that would create a domino effect of good habits to follow thought the day. I started back on New Year's Day, the most cliché resolution day, simply with promising myself to drink warm lemon water first thing each morning. I bought a glass juicer that I squished half a lemon into while I let the hot water run, then combined and chugged with a straw. Not the most pleasant thing immediately after rolling out of bed when that 5am alarm goes off, but the benefit of knowing the good I was doing my body was rewarding. Not to mention, the tart taste woke me right up, which was helpful on days I dragged myself out the door to exercise minutes later.

Doing my body good on the inside made me want to do the same for the outside, and so I developed another daily habit: body brushing. This is one of my more bizarre things, yes, but with the benefits of exfoliating, increasing circulation, detoxing, and keeping cellulite at bay, it was an easy habit to keep, especially when I combined it with another daily habit: showering. Now, everyday before I shower, which I know I'll do, I body brush while the water warms. Consequentially, this lead to the habit of post-shower moisturizing. Amazing how something as simple as applying lotion (or coconut oil in my case) can be such a treat to yourself. The baby-soft skin as a result of the body brushing and moisturizing doesn't suck, either.

At this point on most mornings, it's still before breakfast, and the house is slowly starting to stir. I've already had my lemon water, exercised, and cared for my skin. This is my "feelin' pretty spiffy" time of the day since I have made all good choices and feel great, mentally and physically. Because of this, I am unlikely to ruin that with an unhealthy breakfast or poor attitude, and so the good habits keep unfolding as the day goes on. When I make myself a meal, I think about how it's nourishing my body, and that I'm eating for fuel, not comfort. Reminding myself to respect myself keeps me in check with my decisions - and this spans far beyond food, like when a client wants to be squeezed into an already packed day, and I have to say no, because saying yes meant not respecting my limits.

Another important way I "take care" is to eliminate the word "should" from most things. I should be at the playground with the girls, but I'd I would be cold, cranky, and miserable. I should eat this salad when what I really want is a burger. I should only have wine on weekends instead of incorporating it into mid-week laundry night. The thing about "should" is that it suggests something for us, based on society or other people we know, instead of allowing us to tune into our needs. The fact is, I get cold easily and don't want to be at the playground on those 40 degree days, and that if I'm craving a burger, I want to eat the damn burger, and that a glass of wine on Tuesday night turns folding 3 baskets of laundry into something relaxing and enjoyable instead of a dreaded chore.

As I've mentioned before, an area of struggle for me continues to be at night, after the kids are in bed. It's easy to justify an extra glass of wine or nighttime snack after an entire day of solid healthy habits, and even easier knowing I'll wake up to my warm lemon water and a fresh start the next day. This is where my work in "taking care" continues - but I'm also enjoying the challenge, and the reward being the good habit itself; when I wake up knowing I didn't over indulge, I feel a strong sense of self control. On nights where I may have had that little extra, I put my good habits to the test: eating a normal breakfast, exercising a normal amount, and continuing on with these little daily health choices to inspire another day of feeling good.

Taking care of how you think of yourself must be the first step in a healthy lifestyle. Mind over matter, love yourself first, and the healthy habits will naturally follow.