There’s a ripple effect that happens when we choose to take care of ourselves. It can even affect most areas of our lives. Creating self care rituals are a holistic approach to setting boundaries for "non-negotiable time" so that you can step into your best self. Simple, daily routines can provide everything from emotional benefits like self esteem, a sense of peace and confidence, mindset benefits like strengthening self awareness and clarity, to the physical benefits of being clean, improve sleep, enhance energy, and a stronger immune system. In other words, when you take better care of yourself, you are a better, more resilient human for the people around you.
Why Create Rituals?
Isn’t just saying we’re going to go take a bath or meditate enough? In our fast paced world, our attention is constantly being pulled from several directions. If we leave self care time to chance without scheduling it in or creating daily or even weekly rituals, we often allow other people's needs to pop up in our day and rob us of this special time to get clean and connect with ourselves. The more you put your needs last, the more room you leave room for negative feelings to creep in.
How To Create Rituals.
There’s no "one size (ways) fits all" here. Be intuitive and curious with yourself by asking your body and your heart what you need more of. Then get practical and make a list of all the practices that you “need” to do on a daily or weekly basis. Include the must-haves like taking a shower, moisturizing your skin, exfoliating, washing your hair and some type of movement. Then add in the “should do’s” like hair masques and treatments. Then the third list will be “want to do’s” like epsom salt soaks, meditation, an exercise class, breathwork, grounding in nature, journaling, listening to a self-growth podcast, music, reading a book, taking a nap or some other activity that nurtures your mind, soul or body.
Next, schedule it in. Put it in your calendar and set alerts. Seeing it in your phone makes it real and requires awareness. Like a date with yourself you never want to break. You may do a quick shower and apply moisturizer every day, wash your hair every other day in the shower where you also exfoliate. Add an epsom salt soak once a week. If you’re tight on time, you can even multitask such as taking a warm salt soak with 10 minutes of guided meditation while you apply a hair masque, then rinse off and massage in your favorite Body Butter. Journal over coffee outside in the sunshine. Be realistic, but also be indulgent.
Then, set the scene and keep it simple. Declutter the space you want to feel nurtured in and stock up on fresh products in a few of your favorite scents for your self care journey. Have new shampoos and conditioners, hair masques, creamy body butters, sugar scrubs, salt soaks plus fresh towels, any candles, books or subscriptions to free podcasts or meditation apps, exercise equipment or yoga mat. Being prepared means more time for you.
Finally, remember to enlist the help and agreement of any family or friends you may need for support, whether it is child care or an open ear, so you can create uninterrupted time for yourself. Having structure around daily rituals are simply a way of committing yourself to yourself — A way to be still, to get clean, to feel better, and allow yourself time to recharge and ultimately lead a more balanced and fulfilling life. Self care = self love = self empowerment. Value yourself first and foremost and you will then be able to spread that out into the world around you.
