There is an old Irish legend of two lumberjacks competing to chop down a bunch of trees. One version of this story says that at regular intervals, one of the competitors appears to slack off, walking off into the distance before returning several minutes later to resume chopping. In the end, the victor is the “slacker,” chopping down many more trees than the other man. How can this be? Truth is, while he appears to be slacking, the winning lumberjack is actually off sharpening his saw.
Today, I give you a list of activities that can help you stay sharp, in mind, body, heart and spirit. This is a simple list to get you started and generate ideas of your own. It is by no means exhaustive. If you have some other ideas, please comment below and share what has been helpful for you; I would love to hear!
The List: A Few Self Care Ideas To Inspire YOUR Ideas
- Daily exercise/physical movement
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator and park further away from the door
- Sit in the sauna
- Stay in the shower or tub a few extra minutes
- Schedule a massage
- Take a nap
- Get a facial, manicure or haircut
- Daily prayer
- Sip slowly on your favorite hot beverage
- Spend an entire day alone
- Have a great breakfast
- Meditation and Centering Prayer
- Mindfulness; a practice to increase present-moment awareness
- Emotional Freedom Technique; a practice to release stress and heal emotions
- Close eyes and breathe deeply for 2 minutes
- Forgive someone; Forgive yourself
- Read funny jokes, watch a funny movie or cartoons
- Listen to helpful podcasts or audiobooks
- Read your favorite magazine or book
- Make love
- Get around your favorite people
- Play with kids, puppies or kittens
- Enjoy your favorite hobby, or discover a new one
- Listen to your favorite music
- Take a workshop or self-improvement class
- Get outside in the woods, garden, beach, etc.
- Take pictures of silly things
- Stay hydrated; drink water all day
- Eat some veggies and dark greens and dark chocolate
- Express yourself: Art, photography, music, dance, writing
- Journal
- Gratitude list
- Plan a vacation
- Stargaze in the backyard
- Open a savings and/or retirement account
Enjoy experimenting and discovering which self-care activities help you live great! Come back next week for my final thoughts on self-care…for now; happy face.
To Your Great Life!
Becky
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