We hear so much today about “self-care”. It’s kind of a buzz topic and it seems that since the pandemic has hit, it has come front and center – and rightly so!

I believe that through this past year, we have all had to dig deep down inside and find out how we really are doing. There are those of us, like myself, who have had to rely on ourselves for company and learn to be at peace with being alone a lot of the time.

It has been good, hard, challenging and fulfilling all at the same time.

So, what is self-care and what does it have to do with all of this?

Self-care is, quite simply, taking care of you. Filling yourself up. Resting. Recharging. Doing whatever it is that brings you back to “good.” Dealing with a global pandemic is difficult, on top of everything else we have going on, so prioritizing self-care is essential, not only for our wellbeing but also for the well being of others.

If we don’t take care of ourselves, we have nothing to give to others. You can’t pour out of an empty cup!

So, how do you keep yourself filled up, encouraged, and ready to share whatever it is that you have to share?

I have a few tools in my tool belt that I use daily and others I pull out when my tried and true “dailys” just aren’t cutting it.

I teach wellness and fitness classes to seniors. My classes are known for being upbeat and fun. We laugh and get excited about life. But some days I just don’t want to. The energy is not there – my cup is empty.

So here’s what I do:

1. Practice a meditation for motivation

There are so many options out there for meditations – there are meditations for every thing you can think of. What is important is to find what works for you! Thankfully, there are so many free resources on Youtube to do at home on your own time, like these free meditations from Deepak Chopra. For those of you just trying out meditation, we have a virtual Meditation and Mindfulness Class with Donna every other Tuesday that has gotten great reviews and is a good way to practice meditation with a group.

2. Speak through a list of positive affirmations!

Affirmations are positive statements about who you are, who you want to be, and what you envision for your life. So often, we are so judgmental towards ourselves. We don’t appreciate our successes, what we have accomplished, our aging bodies, and on and on.

Actively speaking through positive affirmations about yourself is so powerful. You are recognizing your power, your greatness, your accomplishment in simply getting to wherever you are today – and coming from your greatest critic, it has a massive effect on your body.

Here are some of my personal favorite affirmations:

• I am ready to receive all the goodness in life.
• I am more than enough.
• I know I am worthy.
• I am alive.
• I trust myself.
• I love myself.
• My anxiety level is down.
• I am integrated.
• I am worthy of prosperity. When I prosper all those around me prosper.
• I matter.
• I open my heart to success.
• I show up for myself.
• I love all of my thoughts and desires, every single one.

The next time you’re feeling down, try speaking some of these affirmations out loud to yourself and see how you it impacts you!

3. Move your body!

I personally like to practice some specific movements that change my vibration and increase the release of those feel good hormones which changes the chemistry in my brain. They are upbeat and done to positive music. However, any movement which you like is what you should do! As Wendy Suzuki explains, you should aim for 3-4 workouts a week of 30 minutes or more, and it’s important that they get your heart rate up (such as cardio).

If you like to join me, every Thursday we practice some of my favorite, fun mood-boosting exercises virtually in my Energy Up Adaptive Fitness Class!

4. Go outside!

We often get so caught up in our little world, all the stresses, all the demands, all the busi-ness, that we forget that we are a small part of such a huge world.

Go outside, feel the sun on your face, interact with other people, give someone a compliment, think about fun, trivial things other than what has been taking up so much space in your mind. I feel lucky that I have a dog to walk at least once a day as he forces me to make sure I am getting nature in my day, every day.

5. Do whatever fills YOU up!

Only you will know those things that you need in your life to feel fulfilled and fill yourself up. We are all so different.

For me, I am an extrovert and love all things that include interacting with other people and high-energy. I sometimes even have a cheer session with my grandson to get ourselves motivated!

For some, a rest day on the sofa doing absolutely nothing is what’s needed.

For other’s, perhaps it’s spending the day doing a creative craft.

What is important is that you prioritize the time to spend at least one day a week taking care of you – whatever that means!

What activities do you do to recharge and fill yourself up?

Share with me below in the comments!