Are you in the habit of making New Year’s resolutions and then not keeping them? We’ve all been there of course; we set goals to lose weight, start a new exercise regime, or to stop procrastinating…but it’s so easy to let the big ideas fall by the wayside as expectant January turns into cold February and can’t be bothered March.
We all have very busy lives and are constantly juggling various responsibilities and commitments. However, one resolution that you really should keep is to make sure that you include more self-care in your daily life. It’s not an option, it’s a priority! You can’t pour from an empty cup. If your own cup of well-being is empty, you won’t have the capacity or inclination to help fill up someone else’s.
If January is the time that you usually make changes, it’s time to decide how you intend to look after yourself and what new habits you want to create. The way I see goal setting is to:
- start small and be specific (if it’s a big goal break it down into smaller steps)
- be realistic in what you can achieve in the time you have
- write your goals down and review them regularly
- reward all your achievements!
Of course, as a Holistic Therapist I believe that setting time aside for a treatment should be high on your list of things to schedule in on a regular basis. Just one massage session a month even – it will give you something to look forward to, a session of me-time where you can focus on your own wants and needs for an hour or so and address any niggling physical problems that might be irritating you.
Don’t stop at massage – your health is so important that you should also make sure you are up to date on any tests and examinations – self-examination is key for breast health and take any mammograms, smear tests and routine checks that are offered by your healthcare provider. Get your teeth checked regularly and make sure your eye exams are up to date. These tests all take a few minutes of your time but will spot any potential health problems early enough so that you can nip them in the bud. We all seem very good at arranging checks for our car and making sure all of our technological gadgets are always recharged. Sadly when it comes to our health we are invariably running on empty and what should be at the top of your list of priorities falls to the bottom. I see this daily with some of my clients.
Relaxation is key; along with regular massage therapy you could try adding in some Aromatherapy, Reflexology or Reiki – or how about getting to grips with yoga, at home or in a class? Meditation – it’s on the list for many of us but make this year the year you take that ten minutes in the bath or as you sit in bed, and really focus on breathing and mindfulness. Try an app to get you in the meditation mood and you’ll be zoning out in no time.
For a few self-care tips you could introduce take a look at my November blog Self-Care: 8 Tips to Recharge your Batteries! Make this year the year you reignite your go to “me-time” activity or leave your comfort zone behind, try something new and take charge of your health and wellbeing!