Take Time Out, Just For You

If we were to ask you now to take a moment to sit in silence, close your eyes and tune in to how you’re feeling, would you do it?  Let’s say, the answer is yes!  So, take a seat, close your eyes, take three deep breaths into your belly and just be for 5 minutes.  Forget about your day, your lists of what needs to be done, that email you haven’t sent and just focus on your breath.  Tuning in to what your body is doing and how it’s feeling.  Do you feel relaxed? Are you holding tension anywhere?  Are you breathing quickly or slowly?  Now, take 3 more deep breaths into your belly .  And, when you feel the time is right, open your eyes and come back into the room.  You have just taken time out for yourself to practice self-care.  How do you feel?  How has your energy changed?  Taking time to slow down and breathe completely changes your energy.  It assists you to deal with feelings of overwhelm, anxiety and stress.  It helps with digestion, absorption of nutrients and sleep.  Self care is an important aspect of overall health and wellbeing.  Self-care doesn’t have to mean spending money.  Sure, it’s lovely to treat yourself to a beautiful facial or massage, but you can also practice self care in your own home.  Take a bath and read your favourite book for half an hour.  Diffuse some essential oils or burn your favourite candle.  Sit out in nature and listen to the friendly sounds around you.  Go for a walk outdoors or, do something as simple as putting your computer or mobile phone away for an hour or two.  The benefits of self care and mindful living are numerous.  It’s amazing to know that by simply slowing down for even ten minutes can have such huge health benefits.  Just some of the benefits are:

• Slowing down actually makes you more productive.  Studies have shown that individuals who practice mindfulness are more productive and achieve more during their day.
• Self care will help boost your immune system.  When we slow down, we stimulate our parasympathetic nervous system which is our ‘rest and digest’ state.
• Self care improves self-compassion.  It’s simple!  The more you take care of yourself, the better you feel.
• You’ll find out who you really are.  Slowing down and taking time to go inward and listen to your gut assists you to find out what excites you, what you really love and who you are truly meant to be.  Authenticity is key.
• You will have more to give to others.  It’s ok to say no to engagements.  Taking time out to relax and unwind gives you more energy, therefore, you have more of yourself to give to others.  And giving to others is here the magic happens.

The key to taking time out is to schedule it into your diary and your day or night.  Make it a daily, or weekly non-negotiable. Try it even just for one week and see how you feel.  Write in the comments below what you love to do to take care of you.  We would love to hear and share ideas!  Love, The Nourish Nook Team xx