Day 3: Map and Plan Self-Care Habits

Photo by Steve Abbott

For the next three days you will make a plan for self-renewal, a steady and persistent nurturance of the physical, mental, and spiritual parts of yourself. (We will look at the emotional and social parts next week.) Today you will start with your physical self.

Caring for your body is of obvious importance; that's what gives you the energy and health you need to be effective and succeed at your priorities. Physical self-care involves eating well, exercising, sleeping enough, playing, and also, because it's part of physical survival, budgeting, saving, and spending within your means.

You KNOW these things help: When you eat too much meat or sugar, you feel too sluggish to get much done; when you lack sleep or regular exercise, you lose focus; and when you over-work and don't take time for recreation, you get sick. And taking care of your finances reduces stress, and makes everything easier.

Take out your Love Journal:

• First review conversations and interactions you had yesterday, and your general frame of mind with the world.

• Next, think about the people you will see today, and the conversations you may have. Make note of times when you might need to draw on nurturance for yourself.

• And then answer these queries:

-What self-care habits do I consistently practice that nurture and support my physical health? 

-What self-care habits do I most need to add now in my life, to give me greater energy and increase my health and well-being?

 

-What is holding me back from practicing these?

• Brainstorm a broad set of self-care habits, including those that you practice now, and those that would, if added, make a difference in your life. You can do this as a list or as a Mini-Map, with "Self-Care" in the center. Let your imagination carry you along and add in as many fun and creative ideas and motivations as you can think of.

• Discern which habits, if any, you want to add to your life now, that would most help to renew your physical self, and add only the first few to this month's priority grid - one per week. Or it could be that it takes a month to fully incorporate the first habit, and that's fine too.

• And end with a 5-minute Love Meditation. Send the "pink light of love" to yourself.