Three Simple Steps to Love You More: This Year, Make Your Resolutions About Self-Care

Whether dealing with the daily demands of your job or looking to make a big move up the ladder, you’ll be better equipped to meet any challenge that comes your way when you’re at your optimal health. That’s why we’ve partnered with SHOPPERS LOVE. YOU.—Putting Women’s Health First—to provide tips and advice that will help you achieve health and balance in mind, body, and spirit. Because you’ll be at your best, in your personal life and your career, when you LOVE.YOU.

What if we suggested that the #1 resolution you make this year is to LOVE YOU? Would your first reaction be, “Oh I couldn’t, that’s too selfish” or would it be, “I don’t have time to focus on me” or would it be, “Of course, taking the time to love myself is exactly what I need this year”? Well, if it’s not the third response, please consider the following:

According to Cheryl Richardson, author of The Art of Extreme Self-Care, “When we care for ourselves deeply and deliberately, we naturally begin to care for others—our families, our friends, and the world—in a healthier and more effective way.”

Making self-love a resolution isn’t selfish, it’s actually a commitment to yourself that will benefit everyone else in your life. Besides, it’s not as hard as it sounds. Simply break it down into three categories—body, mind, and spirit—and give a little more attention to each as we head into the new year.

Body: A healthy body is the foundation of a healthy YOU. Taking the time to nurture your body will go a long way toward boosting productivity by giving you the energy and strength you need to get everything done. Start by making a commitment to eating well, choosing the right foods, and making time to nourish your body.  Then, get your body moving! Just 10 or 20 minutes of exercise a day can go a long way toward making you feel more energized and lowering your risk of the diseases  most common to women. Finally, give your body the rest it needs to recharge. Getting enough sleep and giving yourself permission to have some downtime are key to a self-love regime. Treat your body well and it will continue to support you.

Mind: Your mind is one of your greatest assets, but it also needs care sometimes. Taking a mental break can be as easy as putting down your phone, stepping away from your desk, and taking a walk outside. Mindfulness, a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, is the best way to relax your mind. You can get into a state of mindfulness through meditation, a yoga class, colouring or doodling, or even staring out the window. The key is to let go of thoughts of the past or the future and just be in the moment. Loving yourself means giving yourself the mental breaks you need to regroup and refocus.

Spirit: The best way to nurture your spirit is to surround yourself with people you love, places that inspire you, and things that ignite your passion. Spiritual renewal can happen over drinks with your closest friends, a dinner with family, or a weekend away by the ocean. It can happen when you take the time to start a new hobby, or when you’re curling up with your favourite book. Start by giving yourself permission to do more of what you love. We know stress isn’t avoidable, but how we respond to stressful situations determines the impact they’ll have on us. When you’re in a good place, feeling cared for and loved, you’ll find yourself able to respond more calmly and with less urgency to anything that comes up at work or home.

Self-love is a resolution that can have a great impact on all areas of your life, and the only one who can give it to you, is you!

SHOPPERS LOVE. YOU. – Putting Women’s Health First – is our commitment to helping you stay focused on being your best in body, mind and spirit. It shares the expertise of our partners and connects you with others in support of local, community-based Women’s Health initiatives across Canada. Find one that moves you and join our journey to strengthen Women’s Health across Canada!

If your charitable group has a program to help women in your community lead stronger and healthier lives, we may be able to help.