Women's Guide to Self Care by Valerie Albarda Coaching

THE WOMEN'S GUIDE TO

Self Care

151 Ways to Show Your Mind, Body and Soul a Little Bit of Love

VALERIE ALBARDA COACHING, LLC

Valerie Albarda, Women's Empowerment & Transformation Coach

What is self care? Self care is the key to living a balanced life. It's what we do to take care of and nurture ourselves. It involves the things we do that help to sustain our lives and health. The dimensions of self care include physical, emotional, intellectual, mental and spiritual. In short, it's about our overall well-being. As women, we need this; we NEED to care for ourselves. Now that you know the basic tenets of self care, it's important to understand that it is about more than simply getting a manicure and pedicure. It means to identify your needs and then do what it takes to nurture them, and to treat yourself as a valuable person who is worthy of your time, love and attention. As women, we tend to put everyone else ahead of ourselves. We’re nurturers by nature; we have an intrinsic desire to care for others. But what about the care that we can and should give ourselves? Who will look after us if not us? When was the last time you cared for yourself? Make today the day for self care.

Valerie Albarda, Women's Empowerment & Transformation Coach www.valeriealbarda.com | vlsa@valeriealbarda.com | 980-272-1749

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Hello Lovely Lady, I first want to thank you for taking time from your otherwise busy schedule to dive into "The Women's Guide to Self Care." Many women lead busy lives where they're pulled in a multitude of directions. When you take time out to squeeze in a little "you time," you're giving yourself a wonderful gift of care. You should know that the views expressed in this Guide are my own and are not to be construed in any way as medical advice. As a Women's Empowerment & Transformation Coach, please understand that I am not a therapist, psychologist, mentor, healer, teacher, consultant, advisor or counselor. Self care is different for each woman. The ideas expressed in this Guide are suggested actions you can take that may be helpful to you in achieving mind/ body/soul balance. If you are satisfied with where you are in life right now, I congratulate you. Keep up the good work! If, however, you have a desire to make changes in areas of your life where you feel you are lacking, self care is a good place to start. Self care is about taking care of you; it is for you, by you. When you engage in self care, you're making a commitment to yourself to enhance your life. I hope you're able to glean a few beneficial ideas from this Guide. Remember, it's important for you to take care of YOU. Warmly,

Valerie

Valerie Albarda, Women's Empowerment & Transformation Coach www.valeriealbarda.com | vlsa@valeriealbarda.com | 980-272-1749

1. Plant a garden. 2. Wander around a farmers market.

3. Hold the door open for a stranger.

4. Take a deep breath. Exhale. Repeat 4 more times.

5. What’s your favorite comfort food? Eat it.

6. Go for a walk on the beach.

7. Light a candle or two, put on relaxing music and just be. 8. Take a long, hot bubble bath, and be generous with the bubbles.

9. Visit a department store perfume counter and test a variety of perfumes.

10. Pray.

11. Write a love letter to yourself.

12. Watch a goofy sitcom or listen to a comedy CD and laugh out loud to your heart’s content.

13. Go for a walk.

14. Spend time putting a puzzle together.

15. Visit a museum.

16. Write a poem. 17. Turn a cartwheel.

18. Take a 20-minute powernap.

19. Pay it forward.

20. Stretch.

21. Make a list of the top 5 things you love about yourself.

22. Volunteer for a cause that is dear to your heart.

23. Take a social media sabbatical. Unplug from the internet for one day.

24. Go window shopping.

25. Become a tourist in your own town.

26. Go DIY crazy. Tackle a project and go from start to finish.

27. Clean out your junk drawer.

28. Write a letter of forgiveness to yourself. Forgiveness will set you free.

29. Hug a dog.

30. Go for a swim. 31. Count your blessings. Say to yourself, “Today, I’m thankful for…”.

32. Don’t go it alone. When you need help, ask for it.

34. Ride a bike. 33. Eat a fresh, crisp apple. 35. Have a good, purifying, cathartic, ugly face cry.

36. Get a hot stone massage.

37. Eat a bowl or two of fresh fruit.

38. Indulge your inner child.

39. Take a day trip to someplace you ve never been.

40. Stretch your acting chops – participate in a local theater group.

41. Pop an up-tempo CD in the player and dance, dance, dance.

42. Forgive someone.

43. Read poetry aloud.

45. Engage in an anonymous random act of kindness.

45. The next time it rains, slip on a pair of rain boots, go outside and splash through puddles.

46. Reread a favorite book from your childhood.

48. Sleep in an extra hour 47. Meditate

49. Go into a closet, basement, car, or some other space and have a good, loud scream! 50. Take a ‘mini-vacation’ by turning on a sound machine (rainforest, ocean,

thunderstorm, etc.) and relax for 20 minutes.

51. Get a manicure and pedicure.

52. Do something because you want to, not because you have to.

53. Go for a drive. Destination – unknown.

54. Try a new recipe and take your time cooking it.

55. Go on YouTube and watch videos of cute animals.

56. Sit on a park bench and people watch.

57. Savor a bit of quality dark chocolate.

58. Kiss your partner . . . just because.

59. Keep a journal…and use it.

60. Make your own ice cream.

61. Do one thing today that makes you smile. 62. Embrace the you that you are – skinny legs, thick thighs, curvy hips, short hair,

dark skin, pale skin, freckles – every part of you.

63. One word: aromatherapy.

64. Put on a kettle and enjoy a cup of green tea.

65. Feed your inquisitive side: take a class and learn something new.

66. Shake things up a bit. Eat breakfast for dinner.

67. Sing in the shower.

68. Skip. Yeah, just like you used to do as a child.

69. Say “No!” if you want to.

70. Share your innermost feelings with a trusted friend or family member.

71. Tell someone you love them . . . and mean it.

72. At dinner, set your cell phone to ‘do not disturb’.

73. Enjoy a glass or two of wine.

74. Be comfortable with being alone.

75. Grab a couple of friends and go play in the snow.

76. Eat cake. No…really, eat cake. 77. Pick your own bouquet of flowers.

78. Hit the gym. Exercise is a great stress reliever.

79. Go to a wine tasting event.

80. Sit on the porch and watch the world go by.

81. Lay in a hammock and relax. 82. Every day, learn a new word or phrase in a

foreign language.

83. Get a foot massage.

84. Practice a few minutes of escapism – read a trashy novel, listen to dirty

comedy, fantasize about being with your celebrity crush – just don’t forget to

snap out of it and return to reality.

85. Indulge in a day of pampering – treat yourself to a luxurious spa day.

86. Watch a sunset. 87. Go to a matinee movie.

88. Paint a picture. Even if you’ve never picked up a paintbrush in your life, give it a try.

89. Light incense.

90. Make your heart swoon; ooooh and aaah at pictures of baby animals. 91. Buy a coloring book, break out the crayons or colored pencils and have fun coloring.

92. Relieve stress – pop a bunch of bubble wrap.

93. Create a scrapbook of favorite places you’ve visited.

94. Write a heartfelt letter to someone who means a lot to you. Send it. Or not.

95. Cuddle with a loved one under a soft, warm blanket.

96. Smile at yourself in the mirror.

97. Eat a healthy salad. 98. Get your Ferris Bueller on; play hookie from work. Take the day off and just have fun.

99. Plan a date night with your spouse or partner.

100. Clean out your closet and donate the clothes and shoes that you no longer wear.

101. Be spontaneous.

102. Create a Vision & Action Board.

103. Judge a book by its cover! Go to the library or a bookstore and rent/buy a book that you’ve never read based solely on the cover.

104. Write a lovely note to yourself and hide it somewhere in your house. Imagine how

good you’ll feel when you find and reread it days, weeks or months from now.

105. Get outside and enjoy the sunshine.

106. Bake a sweet treat and eat it.

111. Stroll through a tulip farm. 112. Sit on your porch or patio at night and listen to the sounds of nature.

113. Make a “Love List” and write out 100 things you really love.

114. Watch a sunrise

115. Listen to podcasts during your commute.

116. Challenge yourself to not complain for 48 hours.

117. Whistle. 118. Create a bucket list.

119. Relax by creating a zentangle.

121. Get rid of ‘energy vampires’ in your life (the

people who suck the life out of you and give

little or nothing in return).

122. Grab a hula hoop and get those hips swinging!

123. Color your hair. 124. Declutter your physical space.

125. Identify someone you admire and ask them to

be your mentor.

120. Hang a bird feeder in your yard and bird watch.

126. Go to the mountains and yodel. 127. Sit down and do nothing for 10 minutes – no

phone, no email, no tv, no nothing.

Just exist for 10 minutes.

128. Cook for an elderly neighbor.

129. Hug a child.

130. Create something with your hands (crochet, knit, pottery, etc.).

131. At the playground, get on the swing set and swing as high as you can.

133. Look for the silver lining.

132. Sing karaoke. Sing it loud and proud. 133. Look for the silver lining.

134. Compliment yourself . . . often.

135. Dab a little perfume behind your ears before you go to bed.

136. Celebrate your half birthday . . . because you can.

137. Yawn big – it cools the brain, flushes out toxins and strengthens

neural connections.

138. Do a bit of creative writing.

139. Vent to someone who will listen and not judge (your spouse, sibling, dog, etc.).

140. Have a girls’ night in.

141. Dream big without fear.

142. Surround yourself with positive people.

143. Have uninhibited sex.

144. Make a bowl of popcorn and binge watch Disney cartoons.

145. Place a pin in a map on all the places to which you want to travel.

146. Doodle. 147. Celebrate your victories, big and small.

148. Walk barefoot through the grass.

149. Read inspirational quotes.

150. Take the road less traveled.

151. Treat yourself like the queen that you are.

So there you have it . . . 151 ways to show your mind, body and soul a little bit of love. I hope this Guide has helped you in some small way. If you know of a woman who is dealing with confidence, clarity and insecurity issues, please feel free to refer her to me. I would love to help her master her personal power so she can live an empowered, intentional and purposeful life.

Valerie Albarda, Women's Empowerment & Transformation Coach www.valeriealbarda.com | vlsa@valeriealbarda.com | 980-272-1749

Find your center. Find your balance. Self Care. For yourself.

Valerie Albarda, Women's Empowerment & Transformation Coach www.valeriealbarda.com | vlsa@valeriealbarda.com | 980-272-1749