My recent vacation was LONG overdue and I’ve realized I need to do more self-care!
I realized this after I had a crazy few weeks of double-booking patients, forgetting to return phone calls, and snapping at close family and friends. I had needed a respite much sooner than I realized.
To go on a retreat usually conjures up images of remote, exotic locations, for anywhere from a weekend to a month. When we can’t afford the time to get away, we can still derive benefits by finding ways in our everyday lives to retreat and renew.
Here are just a few ideas:
Abstain from speaking. Silence can lead to self-reflection, even in the hustle and bustle of daily life.- Spend time in a garden. Or the container pots. Or a community garden. Anything to get your hands in the earth.
- Go for a hike. Even a short period of one-on-one time with Mother Nature can reap huge relaxation benefits!
- Lie in bed reading – all day! Can you say “Ultra-nourishing?” With NO GUILT!
- Do a media fast for a week. Turn off all input – TV, radio, stereo, newspaper, Internet, videos, books – and see what insights “tune in.” Remember that comparison is the thief of joy! Sometimes it is important to get off all social media so you will have less chance of comparing yourself to unrealistic standards of beauty – pictures and stories other people tell to make it seem like they’re having a good time. Escape from the negative news and see how refreshed you feel!
- Get a massage in your home. Follow that with down-time and the R&R is complete.
- Take a long, hot bath. Candlelight, bath salts and wine optional.
- Spend a day doing what you love, not what you must. Paint, poke around the architectural salvage yard, take a book to the park – anything but what’s on your to-do list.
- Take a nap. These are especially delicious when strategically placed in the middle of a hectic day. And these are my personal FAVE ways of escaping reality!
- Simple Self-Care. For anyone suffering with physical or mental health issues, retreating is an essential form of self-care, and can be as simple as getting out of bed and getting dressed. Please do not be hard on yourselves; instead, congratulate yourself and give yourself full permission to just “BE.” We don’t always have to “DO.”
Retreating is a form of self-care and is something we need to do to benefit our physical, emotional and mental health. Self-care is essential to our mood and helps us maintain relationships with ourselves and others to stay balanced. In the hustle and bustle of life, it’s all too easy to fall into the trap of putting others’ needs ahead of ours, but it’s critical to carve out time for ourselves. For those of you learning to let go of diets, self-care is an essential tool that will help you turn off your brain, recharge your batteries, and stay the course.
If you feel you need more help changing and transforming your eating habits and making peace with food, check out our Eat Live Nourish™ Support Circle program.
Click here to learn more about the Support Circle group, and if you are not sure if it is the right program to help you, please book a call with me and we can discuss where you are with your nutrition and eating, and how I can best help you.
Erica Leon is a Registered Dietitian and practices from a Health at Every Size (HAES®) lens. She is certified as an eating disorder specialist and is passionate about helping women at midlife, menopause and beyond to make peace with food and body image.
Erica is a highly sensitive nutrition therapist who takes the time to learn where you or your family are in the pursuit of health. Respectful of your individual needs and lifestyle, she will provide an honest assessment of whether or not you are a good fit to work together. Click here to schedule a 15-minute Discovery Call with Erica to let us know about your needs, and to see which of our Dietitians is the best fit for you!
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