Where oh where has my self care gone?

Whether we're business owners, entrepreneurs, busy professionals, or simply trying to make a living in this crazy busy world, one thing is almost assured - we're overwhelmed and tired much of the time. Whether our world is booming or busting, self-care is often the first thing to go "out the window" when the pressure is on.

• Do you keep your phone in your bedroom and check your email or text in the middle of the night or first thing when your eyes open in the morning?
• Do you eat your breakfast, lunch AND dinner while on your laptop or smartphone?
• Do you sacrifice bathroom breaks WAY past the breaking point?
• Do you work evenings and weekends, without taking many or any vacations?

This type of go-go-go lifestyle can only be sustained for so long before something has to give.  And here are a few symptoms that things are "giving":

• Weight gain or weight loss
• Addiction or addictive behaviors
• Family and relationship problems
• Emotional pain and mood fluctuations, including bouts of anger or tears
• Poor quality sleep or insomnia
• High blood pressure, high cholesterol, blood sugar regulation issues, and onset or worsening of other chronic diseases

Just what would be possible in your business and personal life if you felt joy each day and found a new way where you felt calm, nourished, focused, light and energized?  With my clients, that path to a more balanced life is usually found through improving sleep, managing stressors, and improving our daily food habits.

Let's look at each of them, shall we?

Sleep

Does this sound like you?

• You feel tired mid evening, maybe even drifting to sleep at your desk or couch, but push through the tiredness to answer more emails, complete more tasks, or simply veg out in front of the TV, computer screen or smartphone (Candy Crush anyone?).  It could be this is your first quiet moment of the day.  This also may be the late night hour when poor quality snacks and an adult beverage suddenly jump into your hands.
• When you actually do go to bed, close to midnight, your mind is racing and you can’t nod off.
• Or you drop off to sleep fairly easily, but are awakened at 3 in the morning with racing thoughts, worries or the drumbeat of the to-do list.
  
• Or you are up multiple times in the night, hearing every noise, and answering way too many calls from nature…

Stress

Are you on stress overload?

• Do you catch every cold?
• Are coffee, soda and alcohol part of the fabric of your daily life?  
• Have you gained weight despite valiant efforts or multiple failed efforts?
• Are you replaying stressful or unpleasant events or conversations in your head over and over again?
• Do you feel worried, anxious and fearful even when you’re home?

Stressors come in all shapes and sizes and recognizing the many different types of stress overload symptoms is critical

Food Habits

Do you find yourself:

• Skipping breakfast or struggling to make the best decision at Starbucks of what to pair with your morning mocha?
• Eating out frequently, eating on the go, or eating in your car?
• Too tired in the evening to cook fresh meals and instead toss something frozen in the microwave or call for take-out?
• Thinking sugar really should be a new food group?
• Wondering if your caloric intake after 7 pm is  more than the rest of the day combined?

So....  What if?

None of the examples I’ve given on sleep, stress and food habits are unusual.  They are all taken directly from clients or my own experiences.  So, what would change look like?

• What would it feel like to sleep 8 hours every night and wake up refreshed, energized and ready to go?
• What would it feel like to “right size” your stressors so that you felt energized and motivated, not paralyzed by mind numbing stress?
• What if you had the tools and support to eat differently, with a small added time commitment and huge upside in your mood and energy levels, not just for yourself but your entire family?

A few quick tips

• For sleep, start turning down the lights and "quieting down" after 8 pm, and setting a deadline for when you will finish checking email or texts. 
• For stress, take inventory of the stressors in your life, ranging from poor food quality to nagging unfinished tasks to financial worries to unresolved pain from your past.   Where can you make small improvements that add up and where do you need some help?
• For nutrition, start with more water and more veggies.  If you’re feeling like you can take it one step further, eliminate as many packaged and processed foods as you can.

By improving sleep, managing stressors, and improving your nutrition, magical things begin to happen – in your health, well-being, energy and happiness.  

If  you'd like to explore how you can create positive changes in your life with the support to make it happen, shoot me an email and we'll talk!

​Lorie