Start Small - How to Begin Self Care and Love

When you are beginning a self-care and self-love journey, it may seem overwhelming because honestly, it takes effort. You have to groom, do your affirmations, exercise, stand up for yourself, learn about energy, and a whole bunch of other stuff that may sound foreign to those of us who need to do this. A few days ago I reposted a tweet on IG that referred to Self Care as a full time job. However, it’s more simple than you think.

Let me tell you a quick story…

Around six years ago, I worked full time, I was in school full time, and my mom was sick. I was running her to doctors; we had a couple of ER visits. The whole thing was beyond stressful. I looked up one day, and I was 20 pounds heavier (my heaviest weight ever), and I felt rough.

One day, I went into my manager’s office for our bi-weekly one-on-one, and I burst into a very dramatic cry.

This gif never gets old…

I was beyond embarrassed, which made the cry even last longer. (Side Note: I’m a very logical lady who is much more comfortable in thought than feelings. I also work in a male-dominated industry, and vowed years ago to not cry in front of people at work.) My manager was lovely about the whole thing and made me feel as comfortable as I could at that moment, but it made me realize that I needed to do a better job of taking care of myself.

But How?

As a full-time student with a long commute, I couldn’t wrap my mind around ways to make a whole work out routine. I was getting up early to prepare meals before I left and doing homework at night while trying to remember medicines and doctor appointments.

I Started small

I began to use my lunch hour to walk around the building and listen to music. The alone time provided the solace that I needed. The exercise was great cardio. I would bring a change of shirt on warmer days and some wipes to stay fresh. I also cut back on my carbs and sweets and drank a bit more water.

The other thing I made myself do was to paint my nails. It was tiny but easy to do. It also made me feel beautiful when I looked down at my hands and saw pretty nails. It also didn’t take very long to accomplish. Within a few months, I dropped weigh. I felt better, and I decided that no matter how hectic things got in my life, I would always make sure that I kept my nails painted. (Also thankfully, mom got better. ) Those small efforts snowballed into other things like reading, massages, vacations, etc. but it all started with me showing myself that I too was a priority.

How This Applies to You

Now not all of you wear nail polish, but you can do small things for yourself like a hot bath on Tuesdays or a sheet mask or keep your hair cut fresh. One of my friends used to rollerset her hair after putting her daughter to bed. Another one started keeping his barber appointments every Friday regardless. One co-worker would sneak off on Fridays to get his pedicure at the nail salon around the corner. So think over your life. I am sure that there is something that you love that you can do for yourself that takes minimal effort. Put it on your calendar and commit to it. Just get started in the right direction and stay consistent with it. Little efforts snowball into new lifestyles.

So talk to me in the comments. What are you going to do to get started on your self care? Or tell us what you did to get started.