Non-Negotiable Self Care Practices
We live in a society where busy-ness is idolized. But if you really strip it back, being so busy that we forget to prioritize what is important isn’t what we were made for. In turn of a busy society, we can experience Anxiety + Stress that comes from an unrealistic standard to perform in a certain way.
Negative impacts stress has on the body!
It is crucial for me to take steps to care for myself and to ensure I keep my stress levels at bay. I wholeheartedly believe in order to give + care for others, we first need to be taking time for ourselves. Balancing life can be tricky but setting yourself healthy boundaries and allocated time for ‘you time’ each day should be a priority on everyone’s list.
Here are my absolute non-negotiable self-care practices.
– Jesus time –
This is number one on my list. I am a lover of Jesus and I make sure spending time with Him in the word is something I do at the start of my day. It makes a HUGE difference to my heart, my attitude, and my perspective. Being close to God is the greatest gift and honour. I count myself so blessed to experience a love like His and freely be in a relationship with Him each day.
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– Journaling + Writing –
Writing is such an outlet and a beautiful form of expression for me and when I don’t do it, I don’t really feel like myself. I got out of a habit of doing this for months and I was wondering why I felt so disconnected. I recently started carving out time with my devotion time to write again. I l o v e writing to God, it’s my most favourite way of communicating with Him. I just feel like my creative heart can express so much more when I give it to Him through writing than through speaking. I used to think there was something wrong with me because I felt more inclined to write but that is the beauty of serving a King, there is no right or wrong way to come to Him. He welcomes each one of us with open arms and loves us all the same.
I also like to spend this time writing out my dreams, goals, what I am grateful for, my fears + worries and so much more.
I understand writing can be quite intimidating if you don’t do it often. Don’t fear though; I have compiled a list of 10 different journal prompts to get you dreaming, thinking and inspired to express yourself however you want through your words. Please know there is absolutely no right on wrong in journaling. This is a time to come inward with your thoughts and embody what you’re feeling.
Download my journal prompts PDF here: Journal Prompts
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– Nourishing my body –
This is a MUST! I don’t think people realize the true importance of food and how it connects us to God and His earth. I love being able to fuel my body with whole foods that serve me and allow me to thrive. This looks different for everyone but it is so refreshing to finally find what works best for me as an individual. I’ve tried so many different ways of eating and have really struggled with my digestion. Each day I choose foods for me, for my body and for nourishment. To me, this is a major form of self-care. Eating foods that sustain you, give you energy, keep you full, give you a glow and make you feel alive is a gift. God has made each and every one of us, So, I make a choice each day to honour Him with the body He has given me by fueling it with foods from his earth.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
– Dry Brushing –
Girl! If you don’t dry brush already, please, please, pleeeeeeease do yourself a favour and get on it. Dry brushing has been around for centuries and is practiced by many different cultures around the world.
As you probably already know our skin is one of our largest organs and it’s so important we take the time to care and appreciate the fact that it is a protectant against virus’ + bacteria, a place that contains glands + thousands of cells and it helps to regulate our body temperature. The more I learn about the human body, the more awed I am by how incredible our Heavenly Father is. We truly are a work of art.
That being said let’s jump into the benefits of dry brushing!
It stimulates the lymphatic system. A lot of bacteria enter into our body through our skin and sometimes we have such a gnarly build-up of toxins that the skin physically cannot release the toxins. Dry brushing helps to remove those excess toxins, dead skin cells and unclog pores. This act can help reduce inflammation and reduce fluid retention.
How do you dry brush?
This little wonder practice takes 5 minutes out of your day. All you have to do is grab your brush and use an upward stroking motion toward your heart on each part of your body. Ensure you start at your feet and work your way up.
*Extra tips: Avoid synthetic bristles and dry-brush when your body is dry!
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– Exercising –
This is one of my favourite forms of self-care! Let me start by saying, find a style of working out that suits you, your needs and your body. There is absolutely NO point in pushing your body to do something that doesn’t feel good. With that being said, give each new exercise activity at least 2 weeks because when I starting weight training properly I felt like absolute junk for the first 2 weeks but I pushed through and now experience alllll the benefits from it.
I’ve spent a lot of time this year experimenting with different workout styles that actually get me excited to workout and move my body. For me this looks like weight training, yoga, walking, bike riding, HIIT, Tabata and even barre. I am a pretty free-flowing soul but as I’m getting older I’m combining my free spirit with a little more structure. I’m all about lists these days and getting things done! I write out attainable fitness goals each week for myself to achieve and it feels SOOO good ticking things off once I’ve accomplished them.
If you are struggling with exercise motivation I encourage you to find a workout buddy! This is a great way to keep yourself accountable, plus it makes working out 10 times better if you are just starting out. Alternatively or in conjunction with a workout buddy, you could also opt for personal training. If the gym isn’t for you, you can still reach your goals from home! There are SO many exercise videos on YouTube that you can follow along with and get a good workout in. Utilize what you’ve got and the space you are in and always remember that any kind of movement, even if it’s 10 minutes, is better than nothing.
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– Do something for you –
Of course my ‘do something for me’ involves letting my creative soul run free. Give me all the art-making, baking, painting, blogging and learning anything to do with integrative health!!
Our lives are filled with so many to-do lists (which are awesome) but in that space, I think all too often we neglect to do things that actually bring our hearts joy. The fun things that spark happiness and bring us back to, well, us! It’s okay to make yourself a priority in this way and take time to do YOUR thing.
– Taking a bath –
We all know this is the ultimate form of self-care. Stressed? Have a bath. Sick? Have a bath. Need time to think? Have a bath. Have period pain? Have a bath.
When I first met Gideon he was in the middle of renovating his home and he was super close to finishing the bathroom (which didn’t have a bath). I explained how much I loved baths and he completely remodeled the whole bathroom and bought a bath just for me. Do I have the BEST husband ever or what?!
I love having super hot + steamy baths to remove more toxins from the skin and I ALWAYS add essential oils, magnesium bath salts, and sometimes different flower petals! I literally feel like a whole new person after soaking in a bath, so this is a must on my self-care list.
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– Doing a face mask –
I love, love, looooove this little practice. I’m super passionate about all things skin-related because I’ve been on such a journey with hormonal acne.
For my face masks, I love to use simple + safe (non-toxic) ingredients. I like to keep things as natural as possible and the best way to achieve this is by making my own. Not only are DIY’s incredibly fun to create, but it also allows me the knowledge of every single ingredient that is going on my skin and for me, that is a priority. My go-to face mask uses ingredients from my kitchen cupboard and contains anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal properties.
Recipe:
1/4 teaspoon of Turmeric (Turmeric can stain the skin so ensure to use only a small amount)
1/2 teaspoon of Cinnamon (Keep this to a minimum too because too much can burn the skin)
1 Tablespoon of pure + raw Honey
Each of these ingredients plays a role in rejuvenating, protecting and repairing my skin! Natures wonders. Next time you go to the shops to buy a $20 face mask, don’t! Go look in your cupboard and create something that is actually going to benefit your skin!
– Drink Herbal Tea –
It’s clear by now that I am a herbal enthusiast. The act of preparing a loose leaf tea alone helps me connect to the beauty and wonder of God’s creation. Having access to locally grown + organic herbal goodness is such a blessing to me. I love experimenting with different flowers and herbs to create purposeful beverages that are going to benefit my body at any certain time.
My favourite tea at the moment is Lavender (Lavandula) + Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla). These two herbs are a match made in heaven and both have a herbal action of a nervine. This helps bring so much calm to my central nervous system. Did you know that just the scent of both chamomile + lavender traveling through the olfactory part of your brain can help lower your stress levels and ease tension? Along with all the amazing anti-inflammatory, digestive, immunity and antioxidant properties, it’s a no brainer to make a herbal infusion to sip on and let these wonder herbs work their magic.
Herbal Tea Prep:
1 part Chamomile
1 part Lavender
1 cup of boiled water
Steep for 7-10 minutes and let this beautiful herbal preparation infuse all it’s goodness into that water.
Pictured above is my Lavender and Chamomile moon milk. You can find the recipe here over on my Instagram.
These are a few little self-care non-negotiable’s I incorporate into my daily routines! I hope this post has inspired you to slow down, breathe and take time to do things that fill up your cup. Let me know if you make any of the recipes or use any of the journal prompts! Always remember in order for you to flourish, you need to take time to nourish. Go take some time for yourself today and watch the wonder it will do in all aspects of your life!
Beth xx
Please ensure you check with your health care professional before consuming any of the herbs listed above and before making any major lifestyle changes. This information is for education purposes and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
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