Mark it on your calendar

When was the last time you made a conscious decision to take good care of yourself?

Within each cell in our bodies, there is a deep desire to be in balance, to be well, to function optimally.

When I think about things that block our bodies ability to do just this, several things come to mind. One of those is a lack of time for self-care and self compassion.

Our days are packed full of so many obligations that more times than not, our own personal needs are shuffled to the bottom of the list and then just fall off the list altogether.

Whether you are well or not, self compassion and self care are vital to longevity and quality of life.

With Halloween behind us, we have officially arrived at a point in the calendar year that puts added pressure on us in several ways. For the next couple of months, our schedules are going to be even more packed with family gatherings, travel, cooking, office and school parties and celebrations, just to name a few.

How can you make your own health, both mental/emotional and physical health a priority?

My number one suggestion is to schedule it on your calendar!

We have come to live by our calendars and schedules. Use that to your advantage and schedule self-care and compassion on your calendar and treat it like a priority appointment that you cannot reschedule to a later time or date.

What does self-care and compassion look like? It depends on who you are and what you love to do but some ideas are:

- Schedule time with your favorite people. Do you have a group of friends that lift your spirit and feed your soul when you are all gathered together in one place? Take the initiative to reach our and plan an evening of nourishment through human connection.

- Schedule time for meditation, prayer or meaningful quite time of reflection.

- Schedule time to plan and prepare foods that your body deserves, foods that will keep you energized and your immune system robust.