I am sure that you have heard the news…Self-care needs to be a priority. If you are anywhere online these days you will see and hear all sorts of reminders that you need to make self care a part of your daily routine. The thing is, all those reminders do nothing to explain how we add one more thing into our schedule. Every. Damn. Day. And what the hell is self care anyway?
So here is the simplest answer, taking care of you. First and foremost. Every day.
The problem is, how do you do that when you don’t always (or ever) have the time or the money for massages and pedicures. Or bubble baths and a new outfit. Or whatever it is that is being mistaken for self care.
Now, don’t get me wrong, all of those things ARE self care and more than that, they are fun and they feel good and for me anyway, they make me feel good about myself. And all of those things are wonderful ways to take care of our bodies.
But, self care, true self care, is so much more than just taking care of your body. And lets be honest, even knowing how wonderful those forms of self care are, we still don’t make them a priority. The fact is, if they actually get on our calendar at all, it is after everything else that is more important. And that is the exact OPPOSITE of priority.
In order to understand the HOW of making self care a priority, you first need to understand the WHY and the WHAT.
So, let’s start with the how and then we’ll get to the why and the what. The how is by creating a sacred space, or several if you can/want/need to. By setting aside space for meditation and rituals it invites us to make mental, emotional and energetic space for these practices.
In order to make self care a priority you first need to know what you need. And in order to do that you need to get to know yourself. Having a sacred space gives you the opportunity to connect with yourself as well as the energy of mother earth and the divine feminine.
Having a designated space to rejuvenate your spirit that you spend time in every day creates its own energy in that space over time. The more time you spend, in reflection or meditation or ritual, the more that soothing energy builds up. That energy will trigger your mind, body and soul to begin to decompress the moment you enter that space.
By using ritual in your space (whatever your ritual is, it can be as simple or as complex as you make it) it both gives us an opportunity to express our very human need for ongoing spiritual nourishment as well as time for drawing inward and getting closer to what is in our hearts. The ritual itself inspires us and that is what makes the difference between just going through the motions and a true connection.
It is in this connection with ourselves that we begin to see both what our personal brand of self care needs to look like and how to make it a priority in our lives. By creating a sacred space in your home and using it every day you ARE making your self care a priority. This is what self care is truly all about. Deep connection with yourself so that you truly know what you need at any given moment. And then providing yourself whatever that is in that moment.
