I’ve always considered myself to be great with self care – weekly baths, regular pedicures, girls nights, and exercise were a regular part of my life. Then, I had a baby and all of that changed. Self care suddenly became a missing piece of the puzzle. In the (almost) six months since Baby Fox joined our family, I have discovered the power of self care and why it’s an important piece to the puzzle.
I’ve always heard the expression “you can’t pour from an empty cup.” I never fully understood it until Baby Fox came into my life and I found myself crying in the hallway because I didn’t feel like I had anything left to give to the crying baby in the other room. I was sleep deprived, out of patience, and emotionally drained. That was when I realized the importance of having a self care plan.
You see, I thought I was taking care of myself. I was making sure that I got a shower every day. I was eating throughout the day. I was even sleeping when the baby slept to make up for some of the sleepless nights. It wasn’t enough though – I was simply doing the bare minimum to keep going. These items were all done in a hurry since I had a small person waiting on me to fulfill their needs. I was taking care of my basic needs but I wasn’t checking in with my emotional or mental health.
Sometime after my breakdown, I reached out to a good friend and expert in the area of self care and self love, Raewyn (from Shield Sisters Initiative). I filled her in on what was going on and she offered up the idea of a self care plan. It wasn’t anything elaborate (goodness knows my head and heart couldn’t have handled anything too complicated). It was enough to allow me to see how and where I could make some changes to improve my current self care regimen. She even offered me easy ideas that I could do when I had just a few moments to myself, which was spectacular given the amount of time I spent tending to Baby Fox.
I know it sounds like a cliché, but it really is true that “you can’t pour from an empty cup.” When you let yourself hit empty, it affects those around you as well. This is why it’s so important to put yourself first from time to time. Don’t get me wrong – Baby Fox and his needs come first right now, but I have figured out when I can tend to my own needs as well even if it means reaching out to others for help.
When I mention that I’m not motivated or inspired, Raewyn always asks me what I’ve done for self care on that particular day. I’ve found that my answer is often “none” on the days that I’m feeling uninspired. A happy mind truly leads to more motivation and inspiration in my experience. That’s why I sometimes pick a bath or rest over work. It seems counterproductive but in the long run, it helps me regain focus and increase my overall productivity.
As I mentioned above, your self care plan doesn’t have to be complicated. For me, I still make sure that I eat and shower everyday to take care of my physical needs. In addition to this, I try to read and talk with friends or family each and every day. Reading helps my mental needs, while talking helps me emotionally – especially when I’m able to talk through some of my emotions. Sometimes putting things out into the universe allows me to deal with them and move on instead of dwelling on them for an extended period of time.
I’m a strong believer in loving yourself and making the most of the life you’re living. That’s why I was surprised when I hit the “empty cup” stage a couple of months ago. I’ve tried to write this post several times but it never quite came together until now. I was inspired to finally share it because of a new course that Raewyn is launching.
On August 1, Embracing Your Inner Queen in Five will make it’s debut to the world. I was lucky enough to get a sneak peek at this course and I know you’re going to love it! Raewyn has put her heart and soul into this course. It’s packed with lots of inspiration and advice for embracing what makes you special.
Embracing Your Inner Queen in Five is a five chapter audio course that will empower you as you dive into the five areas of self-love. She has also included a workbook, bonus e-book, and a 30 minute soul session with her. The soul session alone is totally worth it! And as if that’s not enough, she’s throwing in a free tank for everyone that orders from August 1-7! (And they’re really cute tanks!)
Before you leave, I’d love to know what you’ve done for yourself lately! Let’s do a little self care check in below in the comments!
