The power of self-care rituals

Article CANDICE FRASER

Self-care is a buzz word at the moment. With great reason! However, while there’s lots of hype around self-care, there’s also confusion about what self-care really is and how to incorporate it into our busy lives.

While self-care can absolutely include all sorts of fabulous pampering activities, there’s so much more to self-care that truly nourishes your soul and energises you on every level.

Figuring out the right self-care regime for yourself can be tricky, because self-care needs to happen in all areas of your life to be effective. We are talking about activities that support your long-term physical, mental, spiritual, social, environmental, financial and educational health.

Perhaps you are thinking, “I don’t even have time to soak in a bath, how am I going to find the time, and what the heck is environmental or educational health?” Valid questions.

The good news is, you are probably already doing some great self-care activities and don’t even realise it. Think about all the different areas of your life. What areas are you thriving in and what areas need some nurturing?

Firstly, celebrate what you are already doing well. Got a budget that is working wonders for your finances, great! Up every morning exercising, awesome! Studying to switch to a more rewarding career, perfect! Celebrate, give yourself a pat on the back and keep going. High fives!

Now, think about the areas of your life that need some nurturing. Think physically, mentally, spiritually, socially, environmentally, financially and educationally. What areas need some TLC and what areas are most important to you?

Knowing self-care isn’t just fun stuff, it may seem less appealing. However, if you want more energy and to feel more joy every day, wholistic self-care is essential.

Let me share something I have been sharing with my clients for years. Self-care rituals. They are easy to create and support you in establishing lifelong healthy habits. Self-care isn’t a one-off thing, it’s repetitive helpful actions that support you for the long term.

Rituals are a powerful tool for successful change, they are a series of deliberate, intentional steps or actions. Self-care rituals then become routines. Walking in the morning, meal planning, a weekly dinner with the gals. When we use ritual to commence these habits, we are intentionally shifting our thinking and actions away from the routine of life.

So, if your physical health needs improving and you have decided to go for a walk every morning, create a ritual to do just that. Put your clothes out the night before, set your alarm, go to bed earlier and go to sleep with the intention of waking up to go for a walk. Then in the morning, turn off your alarm, get up, get dressed and go. Your ritual is all the steps start to finish, carried out with a mindset of commitment and sacredness. Having these deliberate and intentional steps allows you to create new neural pathways and ultimately a new healthy habit.

Rituals and self-care are powerful ways to level up your life.

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