How to Identify & Practice Your Best Self-Care Routine

What does self-care look like to you?

When we look at self-care, it can be easy to get caught up in the “big picture”. We see social media accounts of individuals traveling all over the world, taking Instagram-worthy bubble baths that seem to happen every night, relaxing on the beach with dewy skin and perfectly waved hair, toned abs and perfectly-outlined yoga poses in the mountains.

Of course, we put our best selves out there. We’re not waking up with bed head and a pimple and snapping a selfie to post to the gram.

 And while it’s great to have a vision (hey, my whole blog started after a night of vision boards) spending too much time enveloped in what the “perfect” life looks like can be overwhelming, leave us feeling bad about ourselves and deter us from truly living a life wrapped in self-care. 

One of the best ways to identify what works for your self-care routine is to identify your “why” in terms of how it makes you feel.

I start my day with Corepower Yoga because it makes me feel strong, and I know that if I can get through a Yoga Sculpt class, I can get through the day. (Also, going from savasana to child’s pose is known as a time of “rebirth” and starting anew. I absolutely love taking this time to set an intention for how I want to take on my day.) 

I love making the perfect cup of mushroom coffee before I even crack open my computer because I am not a morning person by nature, so a delicious cup of coffee perks me up and the adaptogenic super ‘shrooms make me feel like a superhero.

Mini breathing breaks are essential for me throughout the day because they help me re-center and refocus.

At the end of the day, I love winding down with kava or the occasional glass of wine, zoning out into an episode of my favorite TV show or curling up with a good book because after I’ve been go-go-go all day, it just feels good to give my brain a little break.

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I spent years avoiding self-care because I felt like I needed to be doing more before I deserved it. I didn’t take breaks at work. I wasn’t consistently working out. My anxiety was at an all-time high, I was constantly exhausted and often felt burned out.

I was so deep into my false beliefs of “I’ll take care of myself when….” that it took me making a promise to my therapist to “do something just for me” for me to start with real self-care. I went home, put on my favorite playlist, and enjoyed an evening making healthy shrimp scampi. I had to admit, it did feel good to do something I enjoyed, for me.  

Once I started incorporating even just a tad bit of self-care into my weeks, I began feeling noticeably better. I slowly but surely started to manage my anxiety. I started sleeping better and taking care of my body through food and exercise. I got a new job that I enjoyed and excelled at. 

Truth be told, we all NEED self-care in order to function at our highest capacity. 

If you find yourself stuck saying “I’ll make time for me when…” take it from me; in order to be healthy, successful, efficient, happy, helpful to others or whatever you’re trying to become, taking care of yourself is the first step in helping you achieve those goals.

And remember, YOU, as much as anyone else in the entire universe, deserve your love and care.