An important part of your health is making time to take care of yourself outside of the realm of food.  So many things drop to the bottom of the to-do list because we often view them as luxuries instead of necessities in our lives.  In fact, taking care to make ourselves happy is crucial to a healthy life.

You can find ways to incorporate self-care into your daily routine without taking much time.  Here are some of my favorite ways.

• Oil self massage – Massaging yourself with coconut oil or other oil blends before you get in the shower can be very relaxing.  By massaging your body, you also allow lymph to flow with more ease, which plays an important role in keeping your immune system functioning.

• Mindful showering – Instead of letting your time in the shower be full of planning your day, rethinking your to-do list, and worrying about what comes next, try to tune into the moment, and really pay attention to your body as your honor and clean it.  We tend to be critical of ourselves, and especially of our bodies.  Let your shower be a time when you can love yourself up and appreciate all that your body does for you.

• Make time for something you love – Even if you have a bus schedule and feel as if you couldn’t possibly fit more in, make sure that you are finding time to do something you love.  If you love to read, find 15 minutes a day to read.  If you love watching movies but don’t have time to watch a full-length film, watch your favorite scene from a movie you love.

It is easy to find excuses not to do the things we love, but that tends to leave us feeling miserable.  Instead, decide to take care of yourself even if it’s only in little ways because those little ways add up quickly.  If you need support in finding ways to fit self-care into your routine, email me today at xandra dot oneill at gmail dot com.