Self Care: You Cannot Pour From An Empty Cup

Importance Of Putting Yourself First 

Have you ever heard the saying, “When you take the time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve others from the overflow. You cannot serve from an empty vessel.” This is true for many of us. You cannot show up as the best version of yourself everyday if you are not taking the time to replenish your mind, body and soul. I think the term “self care” almost has a bitter taste in some people’s mouths because I believe we were made to believe it was selfish to care for one’s self before others, but that is far from the truth. Two things you should know about self-care is that, 1. It is not a selfish act and 2. It should not take from you or drain you but instead fuel you. 

There are two definitions I want you remember when you think of the word ‘self-care’. 

The WHO 1998 detailed, in depth definition is: “Self-Care is what people do for themselves to establish and maintain health, and to prevent and deal with illness. It is a broad concept encompassing hygiene (general and personal), nutrition (type and quality of food eaten), lifestyle (sporting activities, leisure etc), environmental factors (living conditions, social habits, etc.) socio-economic factors (income level, cultural beliefs, etc.) and self-medication.”

And in a much more simpler form, The Psych Central definition is: “Self-care is any activity that we do deliberately in order to take care of our mental, emotional, and physical health.”

This is why I constantly stress about self care through my social media platforms and blog because there is not just one way to care for yourself but many ways, and your self-care routine will differ from others. It is key to take care of ourselves and be in a good relationship with oneself in order to care and love for others in your life. 

My weekly self-care routine shifts according to my schedule for that week but every week I make it a point to do the following to help keep my mind, body and soul right. 

• Spiritual Breakfast: I talk a lot about this on my Instagram but everyday at some point in my morning I make an effort to listen to or read a devotional or sermon. Sometimes I only have 15 minutes and sometimes I can listen to a full sermon. If you are looking for a quick 15-20 minute devotional podcast I would highly recommend BIG Life Devotional | Daily Devotional For Women and if you want a really long in depth sermon then I would do Transformation Church or Elevation Church.
• Workout 5 times a week: My newest goal is to workout 5 times a week and like I said my schedule looks different each week so I don’t always hit 5 in a week but that IS OK. Start small but get in a workout a few times a week. Try a new class or studio. There are SO MANY benefits to working out and mental health. I always lift two times a week, boxing is an absolute must because it makes me feel powerful and I let out a lot of stress on the bag and lately I have been loving Yoga Sculpt at Core Power Yoga. 
• Taking a bath with some lit candles and some good soulful music. Once or twice a week I love to take a hot bath and just have me time and unwind alone with John Mayer or Leon Bridges playing in the background. 
• Splurge on myself. Now I am not saying go run your credit card to every major store lol but go get yourself a starbucks drink, get a pedicure, massage, facial, whatever it is that makes you feel good. I love to get me a good cup of coffee or cold brew a couple times a week or go get a meal from one of my favorite restaurants.
• Coffee shops. I LOVE to be in a coffee shop and checkout new coffee shops. I love getting work done and the smell of coffee beans. It is so calming and cozy to me. It’s a change of scenery instead of just sitting at the house. 
• Cooking. I love to cook and cook a really healthy meal. Being in a kitchen and creating a meal from scratch is very therapeutic for me. If you are not the best cook, find a new healthy recipe off Pinterest. Nothing beats a home cooked meal and eating healthy. 

     

Here are a few tips + tricks on creating a self-care routine that caters to your lifestyle and needs

1. Find what works for you and your schedule each week.
2. Do not feel guilty or selfish for making time to care for yourself.
3. On Saturday or Sunday before the new week, write out what self-care time and actions you are going to do that week. Time block. Heck, send some calendar invites to people in your life so they know not to bother you during your “me” time. 
4. Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t get around to certain things you planned out for yourself.
5. Unwind from your phone when you are taking time for yourself. Shut it off. I promise you will feel better when unplug from your screen. 
6. Do what you love and what brings you joy.
7. Put yourself first because no one else will. 
8. Get out of your comfort zone and do new things.

Xo Natalie Z

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Give yourself the same care and attention that you give others and watch yourself bloom”