6x Self Care Deluxe
Dear CleanFoodies,
Taking care of yourself is so important! Your body is the only body you have and taking care of it in every way is beyond important. Taking care of it takes time and energy, but you get so much in return! But how do you actually do this?
We immediately start with a very important one: taking time for yourself. Are you doing this? It is important to take time for yourself every now and then. Grab that book that is waiting for you or even read it completely in 1 day. You can also listen to an audiobook.
It's good to just do nothing every now and then. Sleep well and eat your breakfast in bed. Take a thoughtless look out the window and mess around in the house. Relax and take time for yourself.
Take an extra long shower or take a nice bath. Pamper your body with a nice oil and make contact with your body. Feel the oil getting warm in your hands and how your skin absorbs this oil. Thank your body for everything he/she does for you.
2. Get to know yourself
A logical step after taking time for yourself is getting to know yourself. Do you know who you are? Do you know how you feel? And do you always allow your thoughts and emotions?
Part of “taking time for yourself” is getting to know yourself. It is important to learn to reflect. The more often you do this, the easier this will go and the finer it will become. This can be anything from small to large, such as, "How was my day?" (small) to "How did I feel when the neighbor made a comment about my appearance?" (big)
You don't have to be (too) strict with yourself. We are often stricter for ourselves than for others. Everyone can make mistakes, including you and someone is perfect.
You can think about yourself while meditating, but you don't have to. You can sit or lie down, just what you like. It is important that you do not fall asleep when you lie down. Sit in a quiet place without distractions where you can put on some music. If you find it difficult to do this alone, you can also do (online) group meditations.
By meditating you make contact with the core of your body. You can start reflecting on yourself from the outside. How do you see yourself? Do you know how others see you and is this the same? Are you satisfied with what your life looks like and are there things you would like to do? What opportunities do you see? But also at the same time: which threats do you see? Can you work on and / or prevent these threats?
Allow yourself to express your feelings, but don't pressure this either. Let these feelings come over you when you want to and when you are ready. This can be very intense and intense and this is okay. Try to remain calm at such a time, breathe in gently and calmly. Remember that you are never alone and be kind to yourself. Share these emotions with people around you, for example with your partner or friend. You can also check whether professional help is suitable in certain situations.
3. Be Thankful
Bring out the positive things in your life, experience them consciously and repeat them in your head. It's nice to be able to enjoy the positive things in life, no matter how small. For example, that you are healthy or that you are proud of the beautiful children you have brought into the world.
Try to challenge yourself by saying something nice about yourself every day, these can also be gratitude. Write it down. These don't have to be big stories, just a few small sentences or words is enough. Think, for example, that you are grateful that you went for a walk that afternoon. And you know? You are good as you are! Be happy with yourself and your body! We are proud of you!
4. Create a nice atmosphere for yourself
It is important that you feel comfortable in your own environment. The very first environment is your body and mind, what is important for this you have just read and is also reflected in points 5 and 6. The second environment is your home. Do you feel free in your house? Is there a pleasant atmosphere here?
For example, one way to change the atmosphere is to put on some music. You can light candles or treat yourself occasionally to flowers or plants. You can also occasionally open the windows, especially in the bedroom, this is important for a good night's sleep. Take the time to find out how you can make your home a nice home.
When you have a place to come home, you can look further. Is there a nice atmosphere at work, with your friends, at the gym, etc. Make sure you feel good. You are important and you can be there.
5. Eat healthily
Maybe this is a bit of a cliché, but you are literally what you eat. Everything you put in your mouth has to process your body. Your body not only processes the piece of fruit you eat, but also that bag of chips that you thoughtlessly ate last night. If you look at it this way, you might look at your food a little differently.
When you eat a lot of unprocessed food, you will feel much better in your body! You feed your own body with healthy nutrients. Healthy food includes vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, grain products and the occasional piece of meat / fish. In addition, it is important that you drink enough. Feel what your body needs, be creative, and try new recipes. Get out of your comfort zone and try to find out what makes you happy and what energizes you. Do you want to experiment with cooking, but not quite sure what to cook? Check out our free MealPrep E-Book with recipes for 2 weeks!
To become more mindful with the food, we have a small assignment for you:
Grab something you really want to eat and put a small portion of this on a bowl, this may also be unhealthy. Put this in front of you. What kind of feeling do you get here? How does your body react to this food? Now grab a piece and smell it here. What do you smell? What happens to your body? Now take a bite, chew on this, and DO NOT swallow it yet. How does this taste? What do you taste? What is the structure? Do the texture and taste change now that you keep it in your mouth longer? Now you can swallow it. Did you enjoy this bite?
By being aware of what you put in your mouth, you will enjoy the food more. In addition, you also unconsciously take time for yourself. When you see something tasty, you can ask yourself how it makes you feel. If you eat that cookie, will it make you happy? Does this give you satisfaction? If not, leave this cookie aside. If so? Then grab that cookie. Sure you can occasionally eat something unhealthy!
This piece is in line with number 1 "Take time for yourself". During exercise and sports you can empty your head, and you will also feel better in your body. And yes, there is a difference between exercise and exercise.
When you move, you can still talk, while you are panting with sports and can no longer talk comfortably. Try to exercise for half an hour a day and exercise twice a week.
You can do this in many different places. For example at home with this wonderful workout, a YouTube video or an app. You can also run outside alone or with a friend. You can also register with a sports association or sports group. In this way, you are also stimulated by others to come.
Did you know that more exercise does not always have to take a lot of time? Read this article to get ideas for moving unconsciously. Do you need the motivation to exercise more? Then read this article.
I hope you now have enough inspiration to take good care of yourself! I wish you a loving day!
Love Fleur
