Speaker 1: 0:00

This is, bite of Balance, your weekly snack size, therapy sesh. I'm your host, christine, and this week was all about self care. I cannot underscore enough that self care is self love in action. You are worthy of the love you give others. So let's get there. We ended the full length episode reminding all of us that there is no right or wrong way to do self care. There is so much information, tips, tricks and hacks out there, but you are the expert on you Period.

Speaker 1: 0:36

Self care is a deeply personal journey. It's not a one size fits all solution. So consume, grow and learn, without judging or shaming yourself for how you decide to implement. The most important thing is that your self care routine is tailored to your needs, preferences, circumstances which, quite honestly, will change depending on which era of your life that you find yourself in. So continue to check in with yourself and ensure that the time you are spending on self care has intention, so that you receive the long term relief and benefits of your practice. The best part about self care is you can also spend the time you set for yourself exploring different ways to create that practice.

Speaker 1: 1:25

In our dual moderator group this week, we talked about how chores at times are a form of self care which I'm sure some of you are siding me right now, but hear me out. While not fun at the moment, I know I feel better when my office is reset and all the odds and ends of the day are back in their place. So self care for me during my night routine is ensuring I take the time to do those things, not because I have to, but because I deserve to be in a space I feel good about, and I also know, as a long term benefit, I have an overall better day with less stress and triggers when I spend the time doing those things before bed. Now I know that it's not as fun as other self care activities, but I'm taking care of my current and future self by taking those five to seven minutes it takes me to do those things. This kind of goes back to what I was saying last full length episode about self care being hard and usually involves us doing things for ourselves that we feel. Oh, it's fine, I'll deal with it. I'd rather make sure my wife has her lunch packed or let me just get this email out. It's a tough choice of choosing you. So, while self care does involve aspects of me time or doing something special for yourself. The real meaningful aspects require you to build habits, and those practices are usually work much better when you can weave them into your day and you can act on them consistently and, you know, not just on Sunday, which is why I'm canceling self care Sunday.

Speaker 1: 2:53

This at times feels stressful, uncomfortable and selfish, especially at the beginning. But if you are experiencing those feelings, I want you to run through some of these questions and statements in your head. As relates to stress. First of all, you are worthy. Second, you have time. If you are feeling stressed about having time, ask yourself will the five minutes I take to reset truly take away all the stress that truly take away from whatever urgency I feel? Next, lean into the discomfort you are feeling by asking yourself but what if it really helps? But what if I love it? If that discomfort is coming from feeling like, oh, that's not me, I don't know, I've never done that. Give yourself the opportunity to see what it feels like in that space, because what's the worst that can happen? You might love it.

Speaker 1: 3:41

And last, I wanna give you a quick tip on when you're feeling that self-care is selfish. I want you to think of self-care as not only a gift to yourself, but a gift to those around you. And why I say that is because, by you taking that time for yourself, you are teaching and modeling to those around you that it's okay for not only you to take care of yourself and that's the action you're gonna take but also it's okay for them to choose to take care of themselves. This is so powerful, and for all of our parents out there who have children, and while it may feel selfish that you are taking five minutes to do something for yourself, I want you to think about what you're modeling for them. If you don't take the five minutes for yourself, essentially, then how will they ever know that it's okay for them to take time for themselves when they're adults? When you model taking care of yourself, they then learn that it's okay, they can put five minutes for themselves, and that's really, really a beautiful gift you can give to them.

Speaker 1: 4:44

While we can talk about self-care and we can give tips and advice or whatever, modeling is one of the best ways we learn, and so, if you're struggling with that, try to think of it as giving a gift to yourself, but you really are giving to other people as well, which then leaves us with self-care boundaries. I won't lie, I find boundaries extremely difficult, but it is a crucial element of self-care. Setting boundary means saying no when you need to, protecting your time and your energy and safeguarding your wellbeing. It's about recognizing your limits and communicating them effectively. Remember, prioritizing your own needs and boundaries does not change your character. At times can feel like it's being selfish or mean, et cetera, but boundaries are not who you are. They are how you manage your emotional, mental and physical spaces. Boundaries are self-preservation.

Speaker 1: 5:34

All right, well, folks, that's all I got for you this week and, as your balance bestie, I wanna challenge you out of your comfort zone and invite you to take five to 10 minutes this week just exploring what a self-care practice might look like for you. Think about where you are in your life, what you need and what helps you recharge. You are wildly capable and worthy of choosing you. Lauren and I will be back Tuesday with a brand new episode of You're Always Fine. Be sure to check out our full length episode on self-care. And until next time, mind your health. [♪ette music playing jaka und�ad삭. Direction by