It’s the start of a new month & with that comes the chance to make some changes. Let me share 5 Ways To Show Up Better For Yourself so that this month can be different. An opportunity to take inventory of what worked and what didn’t, what felt good, and what felt like work. It is the perfect time to set new intentions and goals so that you step into this newness with clarity. Let me share the 5 ways to show up better for yourself, take what calls to you & leave what doesn’t.
This isn’t a post to have you doing all the things, it is meant to spark some ideas and have you looking forward to the things you do. Maybe start with one idea and see how you feel, then add another next month. It is not a rush or a competition to see who can do them all. They are just ideas and offerings for you to decide what you, as an individual would like in your life.
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Mindfully Move Your Body
This is a big one for me because for so long I believed that I had to push myself every single day in the gym. It was an all-or-nothing mindset and I had lost connection with myself. I didn’t trust what my body was telling me and instead followed what society was telling me I needed to do to be fit. That mindset has been gone for some time now and I traded it in for one that is more intuitive and soft with myself. I fully trust my mind and body and ask what it is needing at that moment.
If you have never tried this, it will feel weird at first and will take some time to get used to it. Go slow and give yourself grace, you have lived your whole life up to now not listening to your body so it will need some time to get established. I am so proud of you for taking this approach and starting to have a relationship with your body. One that you love and care for it instead of feeling like you need to punish it with hard workouts every day. I will have a whole different blog post to talk about women and following workouts and eating for your periods but I don’t want that to be a big portion of this blog post. So be on the lookout for that.
How to Mindfully Move Your Body
You might be asking what “mindfully moving” your body even means. For me, this means checking in with your body and seeing what it feels like doing that day. Now, before we dive in, I want to clarify. This is not letting yourself go and always feeling like laying on the couch, skipping a workout, or never pushing yourself. You know YOU. This is where you start asking yourself but also holding yourself accountable when you aren’t showing up fully. I know. That was a lot but I wanted to have some clarity around it.
Mindfully moving your body will be finding what feels good. Maybe you had planned to do a killer workout but everything in you is pleading for a restorative yoga class. You trust yourself and you do the restorative yoga class knowing that you will feel your best another day & that day you will conquer your killer workout. It is about really tuning in and listening to your body cues, knowing the time of the month and what your hormones, energy cycle, and body are going through at that time. It is starting to really understand what makes you feel your best and doing those things.
Mindful Movement Ideas
- Going for a walk without your phone or headphones to really listen to mother nature and breathe in the fresh air. Giving yourself time away from technology and refueling yourself with the energy of the earth.
- Taking a restorative yoga class when you are feeling low on energy or when you are on your monthly cycle.
- Signing up for a kickboxing class or power yoga class when you have high energy and feeling your best.
- Taking a yoga flow, vinyasa class to get back in touch with your body and your breath.
- Putting aside some time to foam roll your body and release the fascia surrounding your sore muscles.
- Taking a hip hop or dance class because you are craving something new and a creative outlet.
- Incorporate rest days into your weekly routine, listen to your body and what it needs
Fuel Your Body Well
This is one of the biggest things I teach my clients. We really need to be understanding what we are placing in our bodies. The food that we consume either gives to our bodies or depletes our bodies. It really can make us feel our best or our worst, so choose wisely. We need vibrant, fresh, whole foods to have our bodies feeling nourished and fueled to their full capacity.
When we feed ourselves nutrient-dense foods we are replenishing our cells and renewing our energy. When we feed ourselves processed, depleted foods we are filling ourselves with chemicals, toxins, and ingredients our bodies can’t use or identify. It causes us to feel sluggish, cranky, and unlike ourselves. We need to keep this in mind each and every time we reach for something to eat. Now, I am not saying you have to eat perfectly, but with time you will find yourself really feeling the difference in your body with your food choices.
I like to set myself and my clients up for success with a couple of my own food and meal prep tips and tricks. These aren’t rocket science nor a secret, but they have made a world of difference in my own life and the life of my clients. It creates food freedom and the guesswork out of preparing meals.
Best Food Practices To Eat Well
- Start making sheet pan dinners as I like to call them. These are exactly what they sound like. You take sheet pans and I love using parchment paper to help with cooking and clean up. Choose 2-3 different vegetables to cut up and place on the sheet pan. Drizzle with avocado oil or olive oil, salt and pepper and roast until done. I usually pick one starch vegetable and two non-starch vegetables for exaple sweet potatoes, zucchini, and broccoli.
- On a separate sheet pan I choose a protein, chicken, beef, pork, or fish and do the same preparation. Parchment paper, oil, salt, pepper. I keep it really simple so that I can add a dressing, sauce, or seasoning later to create the meal. This super simple way of cooking allows for you to batch cook and have a lot of food prepped for an easy week of eating. Tossing veggies in a scramble in the morning, salad in the afternoon or paired with a protein for dinner.
- I like to go grocery shopping 1-2 time a week and I try and make it as simple as possible. Typically I shop the perimeter of the grocery store with a couple of my favorites tucked within the aisles. I love picking up in season produce, which buying in season helps with keeping costs down. Personally I think the produce tastes better when in season. I try and fill my basket with an abundance of colors, textures, and tastes. This guarantees that my meals will be satisfying and well rounded.
Clean & Organize Your Space
I 100% agree with the saying ” A cluttered space = A cluttered mind” I personally do not thrive in a cluttered space. I need it to be clean and tidy to be my most productive self. There is just something so calming and inviting about a space that is clear for creating. I know that each person is different and there are many that can thrive in a cluttered space. With that being said I want to share some of my tips on keeping your space clean and organized.
Tips & Tricks To Keep Your Space Tidy
- Have a system in place. Bins when you first walk in the door for you to place your keys, wallet, shoes, etc. This allows for items to have a specific place and easily be stored. This goes with your clothes, skincare, toiletries, cleaning supplies, etc. Having designated bins and places for them to go, allows for things to be put away in an orderly fashion.
- De-clutter and giveaway items that you no longer use or that no longer bring you joy. Sometimes we hang on to things thinking that we “need” to or that one day they will fit us. Let it go, especiall in regards to clothes. Allow the items that don’t fit properly and don’t have you feeling your best, let them go. Because guess what! When they don’t fit us, they don’t have us feeling our best in them. Donate them so that they can be worn and enjoyed. Find new clothes that make you feel your best while wearing them. Trust me, this feels so good to do and it allows new energy to come to you.
- Switch to non-toxic cleaning supplies. Honestly, this is a BIG one for me, you want to be cleaning your space with supplies that don’t disrupt your hormones, leave you or your pest in a toxic space. I personally switched my cleaning supplies to Branch Basics a couple years ago and will never go back. Start looking at the ingredients in your cleaning supplies and really try to avoid artificial fragrances in your products.
Check out my Spring Cleaning Blog Post Here
Fill Your Space With Items You Love
This is one of my biggest tips. It is so important to create a space that feels inviting and is filled with items that bring clarity, confidence, and positive energy to you and your space. I personally like a more minimal look to my home. I like to have a select few things that bring joy to the space but never want to feel cluttered. One thing that I do every couple of weeks is buying myself flowers. There is a small gesture of self-care and self-love and waking up to these beautiful flowers in my home brings a smile to my face.
I also love to use essential oils in my home. Mine are made by Primally Pure that fill the air with uplifting scents that keep me feeling my best. I highly recommend buying your essential oils from reputable sources to make sure they are of the highest quality. Here is where I get mine and the ones I use in my home throughout the year.
Less Screen Time
This is a big one. We are inundated with technology all day, every day. Being on our computers for work, our phones for fun. We all know we spend WAY too much time on social media. We need time away from it all. Time spent disconnected from the world wide web and connecting in other ways. At the start of this year, I really wanted to tackle my screen time. I was feeling overstretched & needing to find balance again.
Things That Have Worked For Me
- No phone for the first 30 minutes to 1 hour upon waking. This allows me to wake up, and make my way through my morning routine without disruptions or outside influence. It has greatly impacted how productive my mornings are my mood as I enter the day. Check out my morning routine tips & tricks Here.
- No phone 1-2 hours before bed. There is a lot of research and information about screen time and the affects it has on your sleep. I am always striving to have the best sleep possible. I’ve seen a huge difference in myself with starting this boundary. I’ve been wanting to read more before bed and so this gives me the space to do so. Here are some of the books I have been enjoying.
- With having the freedom without the distraction of my phone I have realized just how much I love journaling. This looks different each day. Sometimes I have a lot to write and need to spend more time with pen to paper. Other times it is a simple bullet point gratitude list. If you haven’t tried a journaling practice, I highly recommend you do.
Give Yourself Time For Self-Care & Self-Love
Giving yourself time to take care of yourself is so important and so needed in this time we are finding ourselves in. We are constantly going, being pulled in every direction and sometimes you need to slow down. Slowing down allows us to give back to ourselves in ways that we are needing. We need rest and recovery to be able to show up fully and pour from a full cup. You might already think that your plate is full and you don’t have time for anything else. Honestly, if you don’t take the time to take care of yourself, your body might just find a way to make you…. yep I said it. Let me give you some ideas on how to enjoy some self-care and give yourself self-love. These don’t have to be complicated or complex nor do they need to be expensive gestures or take all day.
Self-Care & Self Love Ideas To Spark Some Ideas
- Wake up early and spend a couple quiet moments sipping on tea or stretching your body after a good nights sleep.
- Drawing a hot bath and sprinkling epsom salt to soak in and rest your body.
- Starting and maintaining a skincare routine that makes your skin look and feel its best.
- Meal prep and planning so that you have whole, nourishing foods to fuel your body with.
- Take a walk outside without your phone or headphones on to hear the birds sing and breathe in the fresh air
- Play with your kids or pet. Laughter and play allows for endorphins to have you feeling your best.
- Write a handwritten note to a friend or loved one. Letting them know you are thinking of them.
- Call a friend or loved one during your lunch break or in the evening to catch up and feel in community.
- Turn off your phone and read a great book before bed.
- Pop some of your favorite popcorn and have a date night in watching your favorite movie.
There are so many ways to take care of yourself and make sure you keep yourself feeling your best. Start trying some out to see what works for you.
That’s it, my friend! I hope that you’ve enjoyed this blog post on 5 ways to show up better for yourself. I am so passionate about creating awareness around health and wellness. Sharing simple tips and tricks to help you feel your best so that you can show up and live your best life. Please don’t hesitate to reach out and see how we can work together further. I am here to help you create the life you have always desired. Let’s get started today!
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