What is Self-Care and Why Should We Bother?

Self-care is a great term to describe a wide range of behaviors, actions and attitudes designed to let us focus on filling our own cups back up. The answer to the question - why should we bother to take the time for self-care - is simple. If we don't take the time now for good self-care and health cultivation, our bodies force us to take the time later through illness.

Here are a few things that holistic self-care might encompass beyond the occasional massage or mani-pedi:

1) Show up for yourself – emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually. We become so automatically programmed to take care of others or go to work & make the money (or both), that we are not even aware of how often we abandon our own needs. How do we show up for ourselves? For many of us it's so foreign, we might not know where to start. But think of how wonderful it felt when your best friend showed up for you, listened in a fully present way, let you pour out your heart, then took you shopping and bought you a new piece of jewelry.

Aaaahhhh... yes... that feeling of being seen, heard, understood and honored. So how do we do that for ourselves? Start by simply tuning in to your body's own breath and quieting the monkey mind. Sit in stillness and take time to listen to YOU. Write your thoughts and feelings in a journal. Then take action on whatever guidance you receive... the same way your bestie ordered your favorite food for you when you're crying your eyes out over lunch.

2) Recognize when you are engaged in sabotaging behaviors and love yourself enough to stop. Sabotaging behaviors range from self-induced drug and alcohol abuse to simple self-neglect. But any behavior that dims your beautiful divine sparkle, rather than replenishes it, can be seen as a form of sabotage, whether it's conscious and intended or not. If you loved yourself enough, would you continue to let yourself stay in an unfulfilling relationship, in a dead-end job, or experience anything other than glorious love and abundance? Would you continue that conversation in your head that tells you you're not good enough, that you're unlovable, that you must work hard?

Awareness is the first step towards change. Become aware of any thoughts or behaviors that dim your light, make you feel small or compromised. And simply stop. Once you do, you will gain tremendous love and respect for yourself and your own light will begin to fill in all of those formerly scary shadows.

3) Marry yourself first – and promising never to leave YOU. I remember seeing this quote (I think it was by Sark) soon after my first divorce (I was in my early twenties and didn't have a clue). I remember how the words found me like a heat-seeking missile, and still serve as the prime directive for any recovering codependent. 4) Take the time, money, and energy to plan, prepare and eat healthy, nourishing meals. There is no short-cut to health when it comes to food. Two ways we replenish our life essence are through oxygen in the lungs and food in the stomach. If we eat low-quality food (and are unconscious when we do it), our body pays the price. Examine what "programs" run in your mind that tell you you're not worthy of good food, you don't have time to shop, cook, or eat, that you can't afford it, etc. Find out where these error messages came from (your parents, teachers, society, etc. - hint: they're not yours because you didn't come here with them) and re-program them.

We specialize in helping people find these error message programs that run in the background and create chronic sabotage, forcing us to work long hours like slaves, depriving ourselves of sleep, proper nutrition, and love. You don't have to live like that anymore! Reprogram your body's operating system and set yourself free to live the life you truly desire.

5) Honor your emotions – they are your body’s guidance system. Learn how to listen to them, gain insight from them, release and clear them so your health, body, mind and spirit stay strong and clear. Most of us are taught to either ignore or stuff negative emotions. Decades of doing this always results in one or more compromises in our health, sanity, beauty, and ultimately our relationships. Since every relationship serves as a mirror for us to see what we need to work on, if you're experiencing any health imbalance or strain in your relationship, it's time for some good self-care and deep emotional detox.

6) Learn what YOUR body needs to be healthy. The magic formula of the right food, supplements, exercise, down time, creative outlet, laughter, fun, inspiration, and joy is as unique as your fingerprint. One person’s saving grace vitamin might be another person’s poison. What's important is to take the time to understand what YOUR body needs to function at its optimal level for brain function, digestion, elimination, detoxification and metabolism. If you're uncertain, learn how to have a conversation with your body's autonomic nervous system through muscle testing. I've taught hundreds of people this wonderful life-enhancing skill and am happy to teach you. It's a game-changer when it comes to knowing what foods, substances, and situations are good vs toxic for you. 7) Make time every day to line up with your Source in whatever way replenishes you – prayer, church, meditation, being in nature, helping others, etc. When we take time to plug into Source, everything in our lives operates more smoothly. It puts us in the driver's seat as a co-creator of our lives, instead of reacting to what life throws at us. It's THE best investment in time management and it pays the highest dividends. Think of it like plugging in the vacuum cleaner before turning it on to vacuum. 8) Rest when you are tired.

9) Sleep when you are sleepy.

10) Eat when you are hungry.

11) Listen to your body.

12) Clear limiting beliefs and subconscious sabotage programming through voice analysis and balancing frequency medicine.

13) Attend sound bath meditations regularly to help clear out the body's empath filters.

14) Ask for help.

We delight in helping you create the life you really want... instead of settling for what's in front of you. Call or text Shanda at 239-560-6667 or email shanda@namastekw.com. You don't have to know what kind of service you want, any more than you have know what's wrong with your car when you take it to your trusted mechanic. Simply reach out for help and leave the rest up to us. We look forward to serving you and supporting your very best self-care!