Self-Care after Vacation

I have just returned from an amazing family vacation, but now I need to treat myself to some self-care as I feel tired and frazzled. This always happens when I have more time with people than alone time.

You see I wasn’t practicing self-care this weekend, which shows that I didn’t take care of myself.

To feel better, I will practice several forms of self-care until I feel calm and centered. I will try a balanced approach to get the best results.

You see there are seven different types of self-care:

1. Emotional

2. Physical

3. Spiritual

4. Social

5. Environmental

6. Mental

7. Practical

Since we just came back from a camping trip, there is a pile of laundry that needs to be done. Getting the laundry done is a practical form of self-care.

If I ignore the laundry mountain, life gets hard and overwhelming. I want to make life easier, so I start my self-care day with the laundry. I put the buzzer sound up, so I don’t forget to reset it.

Yoga

After taking care of the practical things like laundry and dishes, I focus on physical self-care. My favorite way to relax and get centered is yoga.

You can get started with yoga without spending any money. You can find workout videos on YouTube. Yoga with Adrienne is my favorite on YouTube. You can also find books or videos at your local library.

You might think you need to purchase a yoga mat, but you can get started with a towel or blanket on a carpeted floor. My favorite style of yoga to practice when I feel overwhelmed is Vin yoga. I love how you hold the poses longer because I melt into them. It is so relaxing.

Emotional Self-Care

Now that I have taken care of the practical stuff and relaxed with yoga, I like to move on to emotional self-care. I lie to approach emotional self-care with three methods, namely meditation, gratitude, and relaxation.

Gratitude

I start with gratitude because it is easy to do even when you are overwhelmed. I just grab a notebook, sticky pad, or even my phone. All I do is list 3 things that I am grateful happened today. My list can be simple, my coffee was delicious, or significant, my mom decided to come for a visit from far away.

Meditation

After practicing gratitude, I focus on meditation. You can access meditations for free on YouTube or the free app, Insight Timer. On both of these, you will find guided meditations. I started with 3-5 minute meditations because it takes practice to meditate longer.

Relaxation

Now I am ready to relax. I have a favorite spot in my yard where I go to connect with nature and get centered. Sometimes I go to the park or beach. If it is cold or there is bad weather, I put on a fireplace scene and get cozy.

My intention no matter where I am, is to slow down and breathe. I might read a favorite book or knit a scarf. I might just sit still and appreciate the moment.

I can go about my day now that I feel centered and calm. I might keep reading my favorite book or I might spend some time with my dear husband.

I am so thankful that self-care can calm my emotions so quickly. Have a great day, and don’t forget to take care of yourself.