1. Sit in stillness – give yourself the gift of centering yourself in peace and quiet. Sit in a comfortable but upright position, eyes closed or lowered toward the floor, hands in comfortable or meaningful position.  Breathe intentionally and focus on each inhale and exhale to keep from getting hooked by the thoughts in your mind.  Allow thoughts that arise to float by like clouds in the sky.  Come back to the breath again and again. Breathe into your center where perpetual peace abides no matter what else is going on in your life. Starting your day with your mindful sit is ideal; if that doesn’t work, try it before bed or whenever you can set a daily time to plan on sitting in silence.
  2. Eat breakfast – to let your body know that it is not in a “fasting” mode, break the fast every morning with fruit and healthy food. Eating breakfast gets our metabolism moving more quickly again. Make sure you eat 3 healthy meals a day.
  3. Move your body – some form of body movement reduces stress, gets us back in touch with what is going on in our body, and helps us burn calories. Aerobic exercise like walking, riding a bike or jogging, creates endorphins which lift our mood.  Yoga and Tai Chi ground us and increase our strength, flexibility and balance.
  4. Eat an earlier dinner – eating dinner early helps us digest our food before sleep. Stay away from fatty, acidic foods and make dinner a lighter meal.
  5. Establish a good sleep routine – going to bed earlier and getting 8 hours of sleep a night helps us wake up earlier and enjoy the soft, clean energy of early morning. Going to bed at the same time and getting up about the same time helps improve our sleep. Studies show that Night owls hold on to more weight and age faster. Establish a good bedtime routine and get to sleep by 10 pm if possible.

 

These daily habits not only improve the way we feel, they embody self-care and self-love.  As we take care of ourselves, we are more able to reach out and care for and love others.

Boca Raton Counseling

If you would like to learn more about loving and taking care of yourself in counseling, contact Elizabeth Pankey-Warren, 561/866-6607. Elizabeth provides individual counseling, couples counseling, and spiritual direction.