Self Care 101: Stepping Up My Game

If I want to be able to take care of those around me, I've realized that I need to take good care of myself, like really good care. I've had a rough time both emotionally and physically in recovering from the IVF and then the miscarriage. In order to feel whole again, I've been stepping up my game in the self care department.

Self Care 101:

Get the Endorphins Flowing: When I was given the go ahead from my doctor, I completed a 30 day challenge that my friend Rebecca was leading. It was a 20 min boot camp video every day in my inbox! I didn't have to go anywhere except my living room. Just what I needed - I loved it. It got me mentally prepared for my day, sent much needed endorphins flowing through my body & helped me shed a few of the pregnancy pounds that I certainly didn't need. Last week, I started Tuff Girl again. It got me through my previous loss 7 years ago, I knew it was time again.

Make Attempts to Fly: When the 30 day challenge ended, I decided to re-start a daily home yoga practice. I love the Yoga with Adriene videos, she rocks. I am determined to get these hips open, so I'm doing pigeon & double pigeon EVERYDAY. Yeah, it's intense but making a difference. Oh, I also took this great yoga class last month called TGI-Fly Day at my favorite studio in New Haven, Breathing Room. It was specifically focused on arm-balancing, and yeah, it was fun & inspiring and I felt strong. I'm determined to get Eka Pada Galavasana (flying pigeon) and have been working on it every day. I try to do at least 10 - 30 minutes every morning. It has been a game changer. 

Sitting on Balls & A Sesame Oil Rub Down: My good friend Kellie of Divinely Rooted, takes all her knowledge of ayurveda, pilates, meridian yoga & shiatsu and works you from the inside out. I LOVE bodywork. She is working with me to alleviate some aches and pains I have. It will be a process but it's helping and I know it's necessary if I want to stay fit and healthy. Then I follow up at home- like using those damn tune-up balls in those really painful spots. It's not my idea of fun, but I'm getting in there- one minute of painful tune up ball work at a time. The best part of our sessions, though, is sharing a yummy meal afterwards. 

The Ladies, The Ladies: I need and love spending time with friends so I'm making more of an effort to do that. I love going out and seeing music, having dinner and just hanging with the girls. I'm in a great little book club and I SO look forward to our monthly get togethers. I love spending time with the girls dancing to some of our favorite musicians. I love going out with my friend Dana to a yoga class, wine tasting or dinner. It's important to have that kind of me/friend time and I have gone through phases where I don't do it enough. It is what is getting me through some of this lingering sadness. 

Date Night: Chris and I are making it a point to go out just the 2 of us. It's a rarity that we get to do it, but when we do, it's just awesome. We always try to go out for our towns Restaurant Week. I highly recommend busy parents to get a sitter and just go out and have fun - having a few drinks and a delicious meal is bonus. 

Happy Feet:  I love pedicures and as a yogi, I spend my days barefoot so its part of my job to take care of my feet! I go to the same place and have the same awesome woman take care of me every time. The glitter top coat I get makes me happy and the kids really love it. Zephyr even finally asked for glitter nail polish recently so I gave him and our upstairs neighbor little one a little mani/pedi one day. It was so cute! It is one of my favorite self-care rituals and it makes my feet and ME really happy. I also know that the place I go takes good care of their staff- that is something that is important to me. 

Letting Go: The last piece of the self care for me has been the cleaning out of stuff. I have been holding on to things- things I thought I'd need. Baby stuff, toys, clothes, just all kinds of things that I don't need and that just clutter my home and my brain. We had a tag sale and I sold some stuff but managed to get rid of every piece of baby nonsense to a woman opening a daycare. That felt awesome. I sent my baby carriers to this amazing organization called Carry the Future. They are supplying the Syrian refugees in Greece with them. Amazing. I sent baby clothes off to a friend. I donated books to New Haven Reads. I have a few more items to sell/donate and then I will feel that freedom I crave. The holding on to things that don't serve me, whether its thoughts or STUFF is not healthy. The purge has left me lighter and know it is another step in helping me move forward.

What kinds of things do you do for self care? What makes you feel good?