It’s January, the month of obligatory restarts and resolutions. Since you are a driven, Type A woman, I know you are thinking, planning, and already taking action to make 2015 a better year than 2014 ever could have been. Have you had this conversation with yourself yet?
Your mind: I really should set some goals. I have a whole year before me, and if I don’t set some goals, I will waste a whole year!
Your body: I’m tired. I really just want to do nothing. I need to sleep, eat well, and chill out.
Your soul: I would love to spend more time with my family and not be irritable or stressed. I would love to run my own business, work flexible hours and take 6 weeks of vacation this year.
Your mind: Yeah, yeah. We all want to be independently wealthy too. Buck up and get to work. What are you going to accomplish this year?!
I should say “Way to go! You focused on getting something done!” but I won’t.
Instead, I’ll say, “Hey, worn-out and burned-out (WOBO) professional women, ditch the resolutions! Don’t accept one more burden that will add stress to your life. Ignore all those emails about setting goals. Try to think of 2015 as just another year and of January as a regular ole’ month.”
Resolutions don’t usually work, but new habits do. Here’s my recommendation: every day this year, take 5 minutes each morning to remind yourself of these 5 self-nurturing habits. Remember that one small act of self-care will put fuel in your tank and restore your health and vitality so you can spend more energy and time doing the things that matter to you.
- Eat Real Food – Your diet is the foundational element to feeling great. If you want to thrive and achieve with greater ease, then you must eat high-quality, nutritious food.
- Breath Deeply – Oxygen is so critical to life that you can only live minutes without it. Not only does slow, deep breathing provide a vital nutrient, but it also keeps your overworked body and mind out of a stressed state.
- Get Quiet – Your mind requires space to be at its best. Your brightest thoughts and ideas will come during stillness. Goal-oriented, driven women, need clarity and creativity to get things done efficiently while staying in peace.
- Get Outdoors and Move – Exercise is always required. This year, let’s put a new spin on exercise. Sometimes your schedule will force you to settle for your trusty, “go-to” gym-and that’s okay. But on a daily basis, let’s try to find pockets of time to escape those suffocating spaces that drain your energy. Maybe you need to flee your musty, dusty, ill-lit office for a quick lunch break. Maybe you just need to take the stairs or park farther away from an entrance to add a little more movement to your day.
- Maintain Inner Harmony – We often forget about the mind-body-soul connection. Tuning in to your body’s wisdom and living in congruence with your values, beliefs, wants and needs reduces your stress level. Remember to listen to your body’s signals and restart healthy habits whenever you find yourself out of balance.
Ready to make self-care a priority in your life?
