Fall has finally arrived. The leaves are beginning to change, the days are getting shorter, and the kids are back to school. Our schedules are (over) filled with things we haven’t had to think about for months, and the summer rest and relaxation we enjoyed is quickly fading from our memory.
How do we keep that warm, self-nurturing feeling with us through the changing seasons? How do we remember to take care of ourselves so that we are incorporating self care into lives year round? Here are a few ideas that I am committed to adding to my life.
Do what brings you joy. What were some of the things that made you happy this past summer. Was it spending time with your family, taking time to get exercise, being out in nature, or just relaxing with a good book? Schedule these things into your week now. Commit to doing something that brings you joy daily, even it if it is for 15 minutes. Joy releases all the “feel good” hormones that help keep us positive, and healthy.
Write a gratitude list. It’s amazing how tuning to things that we are grateful for can warm up the coldest evening. Opening our hearts to all of the abundance in our lives helps bring more to us. Buy yourself a beautiful journal to write in, and start a daily pre-sleep ritual to create more of what you want into your life.
Take time to STOP. With all of our doing, we tend to forget that one of the most nurturing things we can do is to be still. Taking time to truly relax, let go of the stress, and tune in to what we need without all of the outside chatter, is truly a gift for a ourselves. Meditation, Yoga, and even Massage are great tools to quiet the mind, connect to our breath, and center in on what really matters.