Love, laughter and taking care of yourself

What do you do to take care of yourself? The Holidays are here and it is difficult to

remember to take time for ourselves. Our families and friends will benefit from our

healthy minds and bodies. It sets a good example for them to follow. Self care is a crucial

aspect of our lives and has an impact on every facet of our day. Here are some ideas for

you to try TODAY! You are worth it.

Mind	Body	Spirit
Forgive yourself – take a moment today and forgive yourself for whatever little mistakes you made yesterday or in the past. Give yourself permission to make mistakes.	Move – take five minutes today and stretch, keep it simple, stand up reach out and stretch, slowly, feel yourself relax.	Meditate – download an app on your phone/pc to meditate (Insight Timer is a good one) – really it’s just being quiet in thought, mind and body. Just a few minutes will make a difference!
Journal – get a notebook of any kind and start writing, anything will work! You can doodle, reflect, make a list of positive affirmations or make a list of what you’re grateful for.Write a love letter, to yourself!	Plan – your meals, make a meal schedule that includes fruits and veggies, make a new, healthy recipe every week.	Connect – plan just a casual date with a friend you haven’t seen in a while, reconnecting can brighten your day. Keep it low stress, just tea or coffee dates work too! Our social support is part of our overall wellness.
Laugh – just do it, a lot of it, it’s good for you and helps cope with whatever the day hands us!	Challenge – make a change, do a push up every bathroom trip today. Do squats during every commercial, use an app. Get a walking buddy, set up a challenge!	Sing – in the car, shower, alone in the house or with your children or anybody, just sing at the top of your lungs, really jam out, dancing helps the singing!
End negative self talk – say something kind about yourself or make a list of your positive characteristics.	Sleep – Early to bed, just try even 15 minutes earlier and it will make a difference. Early to rise, get regular with your sleep patterns and you’ll feel the difference!	Unwind – be inspired by nature, lay in the grass under a full moon or sit and watch the sun rise. Notice your surroundings, use your five senses and let it have an impact on your day.
Breathe – 2 times a day, breathe in through nose and count to 4, hold for 7 and breathe out through mouth for 8. You will be forced to feel calmer.	Move some more – get that bicycle out and go for a ride in the sun, sign up for a yoga class or get a dvd for home. Walk the dog . . . or cat outside.	Reach out –If you have something to celebrate, share it! Call somebody you love and let them know how much you do. If you’re struggling, let them know that too. Ask for help.