7 Steps To A

Better you

SELF-CARE STEP #1: IF YOU WANT THINGS TO BE DIFFERENT, YOU HAVE TO BE WILLING TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY

Instead of trying another diet, making empty resolutions you won’t keep, or berating yourself for not being good enough, what would happen if you allowed yourself to try things that are different and new? What if instead of dieting, you were able to learn how to listen to your body, understand its cravings, and respond in a way that doesn’t involve polishing off a whole bag of cookies? The secret to getting different results is to try different things! It sounds simple, but it’s the truth. Experiment. Give yourself permission to go against the grain and find what works for you and your body. Look at your experiences as feedback, not as failure. Try something new.

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

– Albert Einstein

SELF-CARE STEP #2: GO ORGANIC FOR THE DIRTY DOZEN

Most of us know that organic foods are a great option, but it can sometimes be tough to justify the extra cost. Organic foods are great because they are grown without the use of toxic pesticides and chemicals and recent studies show that they are higher in nutrients than conventionally-grown produce. Fortunately, there’s a way to eat organic foods without breaking the bank! Through extensive testing, the Environmental Working Group has determined which fruits and vegetables have the most pesticides and which have the fewest. They’ve created two lists: one for the “Dirty Dozen”, the twelve most polluted fruits and veggies, and a “Clean Fifteen” list which shares the least contaminated veggies and fruits. You can cut down the number of pesticides you’re eating by 80% when you stick to buying only organically-grown versions of the “Dirty Dozen”. How cool is that? You can access both lists here:
http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/

SELF-CARE STEP #3: DRINK MORE WATER

All life on this planet needs water, and your body is no exception. Your brain is about 70% water, and your body is composed of about 60% water. Even mild dehydration can cause your cells to contract and leads to fatigue, headaches, and other physical ailments. A good rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight in ounces each and every day. For example, if you weigh 140 lbs., you should drink 70 ounces of clean, filtered water per day. Many of my clients discover that simply drinking more water helps with cravings, low energy, insomnia and even weight loss, so be sure to drink up!

SELF-CARE STEP #4: FIND A WAY TO MOVE YOUR BODY THAT MOVES YOUR SOUL, TOO

Have you ever noticed how most people at the gym don’t look happy? When exercise feels like something, we’re supposed to do instead of something we really want to do, it’s really easy to blow it off and move our workouts off our priority list. What if you could find a workout that actually made you WANT to go to it? There are all kinds of different classes and workout programs these days, ranging from Zumba classes, dance classes and Barre classes (a blend of ballet, Pilates and yoga) to boot camp, martial arts and even aerial trapeze classes. Instead of forcing yourself to hit the elliptical machine and suffer through another boring workout, can you find a way to move your body that moves your soul, too? Take a look at your gym’s class schedule or look in at the activities available in your community. Head outside for a hike or a brisk walk – the fresh air and sunshine will have you feeling better, too. Commit to trying one new class a week until you find what makes moving your body fun. Express your gratitude for the beautiful body you have, and for all the incredible things it does for you. If you can do that, you’ll never have to ‘exercise’ again. If you are over 40, it’s important to include HIIT or CrossFit type workouts, plus resistance training!

Aim for daily walks even if you exercise. 10-30 min 5-7x/week. It’s even more important if you have a desk job

SELF-CARE STEP #5: CREATE A NIGHTLY BEDTIME RITUAL

A nightly bedtime ritual can help you turn off your brain and get your body ready for sleep. If you’re prone to insomnia, be sure to leave your computer, tablet and smart phone OUTSIDE of the bedroom. Stop the scroll 1 hour before bedtime and drink some tea or Golden milk. Your bedroom should be a peaceful sanctuary that promotes rest. Before going to bed, take some time to transition out of your day and into a restful state. Perhaps you can read a little, meditate, or, my personal favorite, write in your gratitude journal. I keep a journal in my nightstand and each night I spend 5-10 minutes thinking about my day and writing everything that I’m thankful for – even if some nights the only thing I can come up with is gratitude for a warm bed. Practicing gratitude creates a peaceful state of mind and aids in falling, and staying, asleep.

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.

– Melody Beattie

SELF-CARE STEP #6: AIM FOR COMPLETION, NOT PERFECTION

Women tend to believe that everything they accomplish needs to be done perfectly. We compare and despair, we notice what everyone else does well and critique our own work, and we waste a lot of time and energy trying to be ‘perfect’. Give yourself permission to aim for completion instead of perfection. So, what if you don’t have a full 90 minutes to dedicate to your workout today? Head to the gym for 45 minutes instead and do what you can with the time you have. The house isn’t perfectly clean? Go ahead and invite your friends over anyway! What you’ll remember is how often you laughed, not the cleanliness of your grout. Releasing the need for perfection opens up space for exploration – and that’s where the fun is waiting.

The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone else’s highlight reel.

– Steven Furtick

SELF-CARE STEP #7: INSTEAD OF THE OBSTACLE, FIND THE OPPORTUNITY

This mindset shift can save you years of heartache and pain. Everyone has obstacles they face, and it’s hard to argue who is having a tougher experience when it comes to suffering and struggles. However, even in the most painful moments, there’s a lesson to be learned – the opportunity within the obstacle. Sometimes the opportunity is easy to find, other times it can take time and patience to truly understand. Trust that there ALWAYS is an opportunity presented along with every obstacle and you’ll find that you move through the challenges in your life much more quickly and smoothly. Your thoughts create your feeling, which create action or NON ACTION.

The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.

– Winston Churchill

SELF-CARE STEP #8:

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