Making self-care a purposeful part of our daily lives is the best gift we can offer both ourselves and others—and that sentiment is certainly true for health and nutrition coaches.
As a busy mindbodygreen functional nutrition coach, I now recognize that bringing my best, thriving self forward for my clients requires intentional choices that holistically serve my soul, mind, emotion, and body. Therefore, engaging in healthy strategies that further enhance resilience, function, and overall vitality is critical to my everyday sense of wholeness and inner balance.
Whether you are an always-on-the-go coach looking to kick off your self-care routine, fill up your emotional tank, or infuse your life with a little more serenity, I have rounded up a few strategies to help make yourself a priority. Just remember, because self-care looks different for everybody, it is essential to take the time to pause, notice, and do the things that personally bring you joy.
Identify daily habits that serve you.
One of the most beautiful things you can do for yourself is fostering self-awareness, especially as a busy, often overloaded wellness pro. Taking inventory of the small but mighty decisions you make every day will help you identify what habits need to go, and which ones can help you move forward.
When you release any habits that don’t serve you, it can help bring forth your full potential. Journaling and meditation, for example, are two go-to activities I engage in daily to find grounding and make essential connections between my goals, feelings, thoughts, and behaviors.
The good news is that you can do this refocusing exercise as many times as you need to discover and embrace those self-care habits that genuinely resonate with you.
I highly recommend finding a method of movement that speaks to you. From yoga or Barre to walking or a full-body workout, seek a type of physical activity you can connect to regularly and have fun along the way. I strongly believe moving your body daily can help you feel empowered, and help pave your path to better health.
Social connections can be a valuable facet of overall well-being. In fact, “Having social connections is linked to better physical and mental health as well as longevity,” psychiatrist Nina Vasan, M.D., MBA previously told mindbodygreen. Of course, social needs look different for everyone, so it’s important to have self awareness and realize what works best for you. (Check out some socializing suggestions for introverts, extroverts, and ambiverts.)
Press pause on your mind.
Whether it’s mindfulness, meditation, or any other contemplative activity, finding stillness can be valuable for your mental health. Having these practices available in your mental health toolkit can foster adaptability and resilience, while helping you manage the everyday stressors of modern life. Even 10 minutes of awareness exercises a day can go a long way in helping you drop into the present moment and pause. Here are five tried-and-true tips to getting you started!
I wholeheartedly believe that nature is the ideal medicine to nourish every facet of our self-care experience: physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, social, and environmental.
Being outdoors inspires us to appreciate our complex interconnectedness to both ourselves and the natural world, while helping our bodies shift back to our inherent state of balance and calm. So yes, go out as often as you can, soak up the sun, stimulate your senses, and let Mother Earth work her magic.
Even when life feels chaotic, there is always the opportunity to pause, connect with yourself, and restore from the inside out. Thus, finding and establishing the practices that help you care for your well-being and flourish will equip you with the tools to live an intentional, well-lived life while also benefiting those around you.
