Everybody and their sisters are talking about the importance of self-care right now. But what does self-care mean to you, and why is it so important?

When I first learned about self-care, I thought it only referred to treating yourself to luxuries like massages and bubble baths.

Now I realize that self-care refers to how we treat ourselves in general. Everything from the food you eat, the sleep you get, the exercise you do and the way you “talk” to yourself is an opportunity for self-care.

In fact, some of the most powerful forms of self-care can be some of the most mundane.

Do you fuel your body with nutrients?

Do you exercise your muscles?

Do you get 8 hours of sleep?

Do you speak kindly to yourself?

Are you patient with yourself?

Do you have realistic expectations for yourself?

Self-care is so important because it allows us to show up as the best version of ourselves. If we don’t take the time and invest the energy to care for ourselves, we won’t have anything left over to give to anyone else.

By practicing regular self-care, you’ll experience some of the following benefits:

• Better health
• Reduced stress
• More energy
• Renewed motivation
• Better able to adapt to changes
• More generous and forgiving towards others
• More in touch with your intuition and emotions

When we are receiving these kinds of benefits – life feels easier. We are better resourced and can more easily handle whatever comes our way. 

So, how do YOU perform self-care?

I’ve found it really helps to identify two different categories of self-care for yourself: non-negotiables and luxuries.

Your “non-negotiables” are activities that if you skip them, you’re going to be off your game. You won’t be able to show up as the best version of yourself. You may feel scattered, tired or cranky.

“Luxuries” are those self-care actions that make you feel like a million bucks. It’s not stuff that you need to do every day, but when you do them they give you an extra boost. You may gift yourself these self-care luxuries as a reward or a special treat.

Here’s how to plan your self-care routine:

Schedule your “non-negotiables” into your calendar FIRST each week. Too many people give themselves only the time they have left over after they’ve made appointments with other people. Your non-negotiables are just that NOT NEGOTIABLE!

Then choose 1 or 2 luxury activities that you want to do each month and schedule those in your calendar next.

If you want some help setting up your self-care strategy, I listed some examples for you below that gives some ideas of different non-negotiable and luxury self-care ideas and helps you choose what your self-care ritual will be.  

Make sure you actually take the time to really do self-care. Reading articles about self-care is a good start… but actually taking actions that nurture yourself is what will make the difference.

Here are some examples to get you started:

Non-Negotiable Self Care activities

• Exercising
• Getting 8 hours of sleep
• Meditation
• Writing in a journal
• Shower

Luxury Self Care Activities

• Getting a massage
• Spa treatment
• Going on a solo weekend retreat
• Going to a concert or to see art
• Bubble bath with rose petals

So remember to pamper yourself, do whatever it takes to make you feel like a million bucks, because the more we give to ourselves, the more we have to give to others.