If someone had told me 15 years ago that self-care was vital to my wellbeing, I would have disregarded the statement altogether. I was a busy wife, a new mom, and a career woman. I was putting everyone (and everything) before myself. We have all been there. You know the feeling, drained, tired, and exhausted. The thought of stopping for even a moment to catch my breath would have then been considered a waste of my precious time. However, if we do not take care of ourselves, we are no good to those around us. So over the years, I’ve come to treasure self-care.
It is written in Mark 6:31, “Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’”
So, the big question is, how? How do we step away from our busy lives, the hectic schedules, and the demands of work and home? Here are a few practical tips to include in your daily routines and schedules:
1. Breathe.
That’s right. Step away from people. Move away from the technology. Just Breathe.
My go-to breathing technique is 4-7-8 breathing developed by Dr. Andrew Weil. Close your eyes (or don’t it’s okay) and take a couple of regular breaths. Then breathe in through your nose for a count of 4 (1 Mississippi, 2 Mississippi, 3 Mississippi, 4 Mississippi). Hold for a count of 7 (same way as the count to 4). Finally, place the tip of your tongue on the back of your top teeth and powerfully (but not fast or forcefully) breathe out through your mouth for a count of 8 (again, the same pace as 4 and 7). Repeat 3 times. Simple enough. Just breathe!
2. Take sun breaks.
Walk outside. Look at the sky. Breathe in the fresh air. Everyone….YES….everyone can step outside at least once a day. Coffee on the porch. Watch the kids play from the yard instead of the window. Walk the dog. Chat with a friend on the lawn instead of via technology. Our bodies need vitamin D and 10-30 minutes of sunshine just a few times a day can help maintain our vitamin D levels. Vitamin D plays a key role in mental and physical well-being.
3. Meditate.
Just 10 minutes a day of meditation can have significant results on brainpower, stress levels, and overall well-being. Use an app like CALM or HeadSpace or listen to the Revelation Wellness Podcast “Be Still and Be Loved” episodes.
4. Treat yourself like you treat others.
If you would do it for someone else, do it for yourself. Make coffee for your spouse before work. Treat yourself the same. Have a snack ready for the kids after school. Treat yourself the same. Give the kids a playtime break. Where is your break? Encourage a friend to take a night off. Do you do the same for yourself? Seriously….you can do this!
5. Create a special space.
All it takes is a chair. Create a space to sit. Pray, read, relax and refresh. Create a quiet place that you can go just to step away from the day. A place to sit with the Lord, quiet your thoughts, and rest. Be creative and give yourself permission. Remember we are instructed in Matthew 6:6 “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
6. Move your body.
Revelation Wellness uses fitness as a tool to share the gospel. Exercise boosts our brainpower, our heart strength, our mental health, and overall wellness. Our brains make new brain cells each and every day. When we exercise, our brain is able to make twice the amount of cells. This means we are filling our brain and our body with good stuff. A great place to start is with just 10 minutes a day.
Still not convinced that you have time? Let me introduce one last idea….Habit stacking. Doing several healthy habits at once to maximize your time.
Consider this:
- Go for a 10-minute walk outside. Breath deeply before you start to quiet your brain. Consider listening to a “Reving the Word” Podcast
- Before you take your shoes off and step inside, switch that podcast to a “Be Still and Be Loved”
- Finish with a glass of water while you read the Word.
In three easy steps, you just breathed, took a sun break, mediated, treated yourself kindly, found a quiet place, and moved your body!
In the comments below, share which self-care tip you will try today! What does self-care look like for you?
Jennifer Voorhaar is a clinical social in Maryland who owns a private practice and faith-based wellness center. Jennifer is a Platoon 25 graduate and has taken her talk therapy practice to a whole new level adding faith-based fitness and wellness to provide holistic wellness to her clients.
Thank you for reading the Revelation Wellness Blog! This month, we’re learning how to Rewire our hearts, minds, and bodies according to God’s Word! We hope you are blessed with each blog post!
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