In yesterday’s blog I shared how self-care practices (taken one step at a time) have helped me get out of a rut at different points in my life. Today I’m sharing a few more – try them!
- Physical Fitness: Many of us fail on this one because we set expectations that are too high for ourselves. When you are coming out of a low period, you need to consistently have the experience of succeeding. To accomplish this, you must lower the bar and set a goal that is attainable given the circumstances. For example, you might commit to some form of self-care once a week; once you are consistent and making progress while gaining energy, only then will you raise your goal to twice a week. If at any point self-care causes stress, it’s no longer self-care. Self-care also includes sleep. Often, we neglect sleep as a key ingredient to health. At times like this, you may need more than your usual amount to sustain your energy for the long term.
- Eating Well: When you begin to treat food as fuel, you become more mindful of what you put in your mouth. When you’re down, you may not even be conscious of this. Fueling yourself with good foods helps your body stay healthy and your mind stay sharp. Make a commitment to nourish yourself the way you would nourish your children. Time is often a barrier for busy people, but there are many services like Origins, Blue Apron and Instacart that can help minimize the effort shopping and cooking takes. There are healthy options around; being intentional means you’ll slow down to ensure you’re taking care of your body.
- Support Network: Surround yourself with positive people and inspirational messaging. This can be from family, friends and non-human sources like pets, social media, and other reading materials. You need to evaluate how your interactions make you feel; do they give you energy or drain your energy? Do you feel forwarded or mired as a result of the interaction? Filter out anything that lessens your energy, including relationships. Take a break from social media or limit the amount of time you spend online daily. When you’re stuck, gravitate to what is easily moving you forward. Once you’re in a better place mentally, physically, and emotionally, you will be able to change your thinking.
Getting out of a rut is a process that times time. Be patient and kind with yourself and know that even small progress is success. In addition to the practices outlined above, find other ways to recognize you are winning. When you don’t believe you have the time to put yourself first, remember that taking care of yourself is like putting on your oxygen mask before helping others on the plane. If you’re not around, you can’t help anyone else!