Self care comes in a variety of elements, I am not just meaning a daily shower and healthy diet, though they are definitely in there as elements. It is all about creating a life that you are happy in. Every Sunday I share my week with you and how I have used self care daily. For me self care is pretty natural now and half the stuff I don’t class as self care anymore. Others still need a little work on. About 5 years ago when I was going through the lengthly process of being diagnosed with Endometriosis, self care was my life saver and now I wouldn’t be the person I am today without it.
To me, right now my life is really good. Without lockdown and staying home, we would never of known that I am at my best with setting boundaries, de-stressing and taking the pressure away from me. I am loving life! Yes I still get points when I am sad or in pain or just unsure. But we all get days that them. The thing I didn’t want is for working from home mean home was purely work. As in the computer was there and making me want to work over the 32 hours I already do a week. From day one I set the rule of the computer turns on at 8:30am and off at 5pm. Luckily enough I can leave the computer at 5pm and escape to another room for the evening.
There is nothing better than getting excited to see your friends after 5 months. Even if we can’t go less than 1m apart still. It is just so nice to catch up and eat pizza hut delivery. I mean I have missed not going out or to my friends houses to catch up. But we have been talking weekly on WhatsApp. The way I felt with all the excitement in me to not only see my friends but one of their new babies. Really lovely feeling actually. Being able to see each other and make plans for future and my new home, just puts excitement for the future as well as then.
The social element of self care isn’t overly my strongest point, by that I literally mean the making friends and talking to others. But I really have been trying this week, well for the last few. Texting friends, catching up at a social distance and seeing we are all super thankful for each other. Just by me putting in a little more effort than my usual has really lifted the mood. I know that when I need them I have the most amazing support system and creating boundaries around the whole social aspect.
My social media, I have but I hardly use. To be honest the only time I really do is for promoting blogs and vlogs. Hardly ever do I go on and create a status, story or post. The only thing maybe is a few likes and wishing others happy birthday. It is nice to be able to catch up with family and friends that don’t live locally though. If I get a post that pops up in memories, I occasionally repost. But to be honest I could flick through once a day and be done. I do like to follow positive and inspiring influencers though, ones that keep my mindset good. People that are always negative or look down on life really just aren’t my cup of tea.
We said goodbye to July this week, crazy I know and hello to August! Starting a new month for me, always means setting myself achievable but challenging goals. Ones that make me push myself a little but ones that realistically are achievable within that month. New months also means money management and writing down my budget etc, just to keep on track and have the money there for me to play with. All these go in my bullet journal, along with my mood tracker.
As well as my monthly pages, I do write in my journal daily. Just making note of my food, seeing if anything triggers endometriosis flare ups but also to keep my tummy healthy. With my food obviously I track my mood daily and I write down anything I want about the day. Anything that is good, bad or even bothering me. Everything I write is only really read by me, so I can write what I want. Close it shut and it allows me to leave all them there and carry only the good things to the next day.
I am still doing my 15 minute Barre sessions, 5 days a week and I actually enjoy them. The time goes fast, I work hard and feel good for it and its enough to say I have done some. It was good and I can feel I have done something. Exercise really isn’t my best friend and hasn’t really ever been. But I am trying and doing these 15 minutes to keep my tummy ticking over and not playing up. If I was to do more and over push myself I would have to be really careful of my tummy and that is why the 15 minutes work and is good enough for me.
It is Friday night now as I write this and its boiling hot. I am waiting for the storm to come and I can feel its on its way. Hopefully! As I sit and write this up I am smiling, thinking how good this week has been. There is always things I need to improve on or try harder with. That is to be expected because things don’t always go to plan. If things change and the routine goes then things really do have to change.
There has been many a time this week, where I have looked up kittens and puppies for sale/adoption. When in reality I can’t get anything until I move and even then I am not sure. A girl can dream though and I guess that is what I have been doing. The thing is doxiepoo’s don’t come up often (which is good) but there are some online now. I just have to keep dreaming and see what money and how everything pans out when I move. If anything I think I’d get a kitten. Not sure though because I am a real scaredy cat!
If I get to the market tomorrow, I am going to buy myself some flowers. We never got there last week and I really miss the creativity of floristry. I also want to be creative with some home decor and/or clothes as well. A weekend of creativity really may be on the cards! Which is so good for me. That is after I go to work tomorrow, helping to clean my Grandma’s house! But I offered to do that and there will be a dishwasher and maybe more in my new home, when I move in.
Though all these self care elements work for me, they maybe different to you. That is what self care is though, to help you create that life you love, be yourself and the best of yourself. The only thing I have failed at this week, well month actually is reading. I need to read more and let’s set the goal now, I will read every night in August. What is one of your goals for August?
