Self Care and Being Your Best Self

How do you reward yourself or fill your own tank?  Are you willing to?  Often we will do almost anything for a friend, but refuse to take the time or spend money on ourselves ?

This year my teaching job seemed very challenging and draining. Two of my grown kids currently live with me. I work long days and often work at least three hours over my mandated time.  Somehow I can't seem to change that, but I decided I was due for a big trip or reward for surviving this year.  I needed something to hold on to, to pull me forward through the rest of the school year.

It started out as trip with a travel buddy of mine.  We were going to do a cruise with great discounts.  Then I ran across a destination trip with others who eat like I do (plant based-oil free) in Costa Rica AND it would take place JUST after school let out!  My buddy was unavailable for that trip, BUT I knew that this was on my bucket list: to be able to (read: have the confidence to) travel internationally ALONE.  All I had to do was change planes in a large unfamiliar airport (Miami) and muddle through the customs process. The rest was gravy!  The group would pick me up at the airport, transport me to the all inclusive resort that we'd all be staying at.  Hanging out with like minded people on a structured group vacation seemed relatively easy.

So I said why not?!  Time to push myself a bit and grow. What a blast!  I was paired up with a woman from India as a roommate. There was no coincidence!  We had so much in common and lots to talk about. It was almost as if we'd known each other for years.

Our days were filled with river rafting, bird watching, horseback riding, mud baths, hot springs, snorkeling, and zip-lining.  We saw howler monkeys, iguanas and tons of other native flora and fauna.  Our evenings consisted of nutrition talks by Dr. John McDougall and every meal was a rainbow buffet of fresh local fruits, vegetables, and starches.

Have you been neglecting yourself lately? Feeling that you shouldn't reward or spend money on yourself?  What could you do to fill your own tank?  What do you like to do?

• get a pedicure or massage
• go wine tasting
• be in nature
• travel

How could you make that happen?  If you feel money stands in your way could you:

• swap with a friend giving each other a pedicure or massage
• find a local festival with free/lower priced food & drink vs. admission to a winery
• take a walk in a park or at the beach regularly
• take a weekend or day trip

You are worth it!  Being your best self requires having the energy to do it.  I challenge you to find one way to fill your own tank.  How will you find the motivation to follow through on your commitment?

I have decided to tweak my eating plan just a bit more, find ways to get regular exercise (even 15 minutes a day), AND, here's the big one - get more sleep! I know I feel better getting at least seven hours of sleep versus five or six. 

I'm going to list how I feel after waking up  when I stayed up way too late having mindlessly frittered away my time on social media then dragging in the morning and not getting up and out to accomplish my plans and being disappointed in myself.  Along side of that I will list how I feel after getting adequate sleep, body-wise, and how it feels to be able to accomplish my goals for the day more easily. 

Let's do this together and take great care of ourselves. I'm worth it and SO are you!  I'd love to read your comments below about what your goals are and how you're doing. 

 Let's get this Self Care bus rolling!



How Thankful Are You?

Too many people miss the silver lining because they're expecting gold. - Maurice Setter

"Appreciation of the Good Things in Life--How many times are we blind to the good in front of us because we're looking past it for something better? It's like watching the railroad track your entire life, waiting for a train to come in and never realizing that you're sitting smack in the middle of the splendid Grand Central Station. Take a second look at your goals. Are they building on the good already in your life? Are you taking full advantage of the strengths you already have? Is it worth giving up what you have for what you might have? In many cases, the answer is yes. To that we say "Go for it!" with all the enthusiasm we can muster. Those are the meaningful goals. If the answer is no, try reworking your goals to include ones that complement your present life rather than substitute for it. Whatever the answer is for you, we could all use a little more appreciation for the pieces of silver in our lives. " sparkpeople.com

By the end of a recent call on Attraction and Gratitude I was literally glowing with warm fuzzy feelings! All of the us expressed gratitude for pieces of our lives that brought us to our present circumstances. The more each of us opened up, the more others thought to be grateful for. It was contagious! There was no way to be unhappy with whatever circumstances, because we each embraced the gold nuggets of learning and growth that came with it.

My thoughts ran from gratitude for parents who were had high expectations, to having an education and job that support me, to being grateful that I walked through the fires of hell in 2005 and came out the other side a better person (the dross turn into gold). I sustained multiple loses (read more at my website), and underwent a powerful transformation. I literally "stirred the spirit within." by being grateful for all that I had and what I could become

Do you need big things in order to be grateful? Of course not! Do you have at least one good friend who is always there for you? How about a dog or cat you gives you unconditional love and acceptance on a daily basis? Did you see a beautiful sunset, a rainbow, or the most perfect flower in passing? Do you have a family who nurtures you? What about a spiritual family that uplifts and supports you?

What would be possible to create in your life next if you aligned your goals with the values strengths that are uniquely YOURS? Find little ways to pull more of that into your life. Visualize yourself being thankful that these goals are already true and in your life now. You just have to accept them. Stop looking down the track at what what you don't have and get on the train.

What are you grateful for today?