3 Super Simple Ways to Discover Your Self-Care Preferences
Treating ourselves to proper self-care comes with many benefits. It means that we're giving ourselves a little time to take a break or work on something we've been longing to do. Or it means that we're setting ourselves up for a day of success.
But many people aren't taking advantage of this simple way to ensure they stay positive and fulfilled throughout the day and week. So, here are…
…three super simple ways to discover self-care preferences.
1. Listen to Your Heart
A lot of us tend to reject the desires of our heart. Maybe we think they're silly or that our friends will think we've gone batty. Or maybe we don't believe we could possibly achieve a particular goal.
For the next few days, spend some time alone and jot down the desires of your heart. Pay attention to the things you're getting mentally pulled toward. What is it that you've always wanted to do but never had the courage to try? What activity or goal has stayed with you year after year? What thoughts are popping up over and over?
Simply spending time doing something that we long to do is a wonderful way to treat ourselves to proper self-care. It shouldn't matter how much time you devote to a particular activity or goal. What matters more is that you're spending *some* amount of time on it regularly, whether that's 15 minutes a day or three times a week.
2. Be Honest with Yourself
Oftentimes, we're so quick to get in our own way and bring up excuses for why we can't do a particular thing or reach a certain goal. We say, "oh, that could never work," or "why should I spend time on that?"
But there's a reason the desires of your heart are there. It's true that some desires are there to tempt us, but if the desires don't go against God's teaching, there's a good possibility you're supposed to be doing them. Many of us just have trouble seeing the signs or following through.
Being honest with yourself means you're willing to entertain an idea rather than dismiss it. And you're willing to spend time working on it.
3. Decide on Priorities & Experiment
Your self-care preferences will depend on your specific priorities. What is it that you want to accomplish each day, week, and month? And what do you need to do to make sure you reach those goals?
Some of my daily self-care rules include drinking plenty of water, eating healthy foods, limiting my time on social media, bible reading and prayer, and novel writing. It's important to me that I stay energized and positive throughout the day so I'm able to devote productive time to my work. If I neglect my self-care rules, I notice a difference in how productive my days are. If I don't eat right, I start to feel tired and sluggish. And then I start to get cases of the munchies, and when I eat snacks, I neglect my work because I'm so focused on the food.
It will take some experimentation to learn your particular habits and self-care preferences. Spend some time over the next week or so making a note of which activities are helpful and which ones are most definitely not helpful. What do you need to do each day to ensure you are productive, not just throughout the day, but also throughout the whole week.
Treating ourselves to proper self-care will help us focus on our goals and set our sights on things that we believe in. It doesn't have to take much time at all. We just have to start.
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