Last time I spoke to you about why listening to your internal ‘stop’ button is vital and the importance of practicing self-care. Now given the whirlwind of busyness that is the majority of peoples lives these days you might be thinking “how the fuck do I practice self-care?!”.
This is where I come in as I am going to give you 3 things to consider when having some much needed ‘me time’.
1. People or no people?
This is basically are you and introvert or an extrovert? Do you get your energy from being around others or do you re-energise by being alone? Believe it or not I am a massive introvert and I re-energise by spending time alone in silence. Right now the only noise I can hear is the washing machine going and this, for me is pure bliss. However, not everyone is like this. Take my friend Ryan for example, he gets his energy from being around others. So for me, a key factor in my ‘me time’ would be being alone in silence. For Ryan, his ‘me time’ would involve being around trusted friends in which he feels like he can be his authentic self. There’s no right or wrong in this. Both ways are totally great ways to practice self-care.
2. Active or non-active self-care
This is very dependant on your life style. I have an active job and hate most forms of exercise so my ‘me time’ is spent sitting down or in most cases curled up in bed. However, for my friends who really enjoy exercise and being active their ‘me time’ is going to look pretty different to mine. Lets go back to the example of my friend Ryan. Ryan is an avid climber and loves all things active so his ‘me time’ isn’t going to be spent curled up in bed like mine. Once again, both are perfectly justifiable ways in which to spend your ‘me time’.
3. Food and drink
For this one there’s no options to consider because there is only one answer… eat and drink whatever the fuck you want during ‘me time’. When I’m having ‘me time’ after a bad day I eat pasta and cheese. It’s yummy, its stodgy, it makes my tummy feel nice and full and sets me up for a good early night. Yes, admittedly the way I make it, it’s not the healthiest option which is why I save my pasta eating for my bad days when I need it most. ‘Me time’ is made for your favourite food and drinks, whatever they may be.
Ultimately ‘me time’ is about doing exactly what you want(as long as it’s not hurting yourself or others) on your own terms. It’s about making you your number 1 priority.
I know we all have commitments and people in our lives who we care about so much that we want to put their needs above our own which is great. I am all about that, trust me. However, I found that when I only focused on other peoples needs and honouring commitments I got overwhelmed and my mental health went down the pan(see example in previous self-care blog post). I know I’m not alone in this which is why I’m writing these blog posts on self-care. No matter who you are I’m sure on some level you can relate to what I’m saying right?!
So set aside some space in your diary for ‘me time’. Enjoy it, savour it and remind yourself how great you are and how much you deserve that time. It will do you the world of good.
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Edwina xxx
