Ever wonder what it really means to "show up" for yourself? It's more than just getting through the day – it's about intentionally nurturing your well-being and honoring your needs. I've been exploring this myself, and in this post, I'm sharing seven key ways I show up for myself. Maybe some of these will resonate with you on your own journey of self-care and self-love, giving you ideas on being more present in your day to day.
7 Ways I Show Up for Myself:
1. Morning Prayer
As soon as I am awake, I say a prayer. Typically I always start out by giving thanks for the day or the moment (like, thank you for this morning) before anything else. This small act of praying first thing, helps set the tone for my day.
2. Greet My Kids With A Smile
As soon as I see my daughters in the morning I greet them with a smile. They bring a lot of joy and sense of curiosity to my life. They genuinely make me smile, and I want that to be the first thing they see from me.
3. Hydration
Right before I go to bed I take a small sip or two of water. I read that hydrating before you sleep helps your body through the night. That’s why I also drink water when I wake up, too. My go-to is keeping a thermos of water on my night stand. If I’m feeling fancy I’ll warm up some water, add lemon and a little honey and sip on that as I wake up and get ready.
4. Herbal Tea
At some point in my day I make some herbal tea. I love green tea, matcha or herbal blends.
If you're looking for a little health boost, herbal teas like green tea are a great place to start, offering natural antioxidants called polyphenols. But for an even bigger dose of goodness, let's talk to matcha. It's essentially supercharged green tea, made from young leaves and boasting around ten times the antioxidant power. Think of it as taking those lovely green tea benefits and amplifying them!
What Makes Matcha Tea So Beneficial:
- Grown in shade for 3-4 weeks.
- Each week a new burlap cover is added for shade until almost 90% of the sunlight is blocked.
- The shade forces the plant to have thin leaves to absorb more sunlight.
- More sunlight means more chlorophyll as well as preserving the amino acids
- More amino acid gives a smoother flavor, reminiscent of a naturally sweet vegetable.
- The plant is steamed, dried, and ground into a powder. Basically, you drink the whole leaf when drinking matcha tea.
White tea is an excellent option, too. It's considered to be the healthiest because it’s the least processed with the highest concentration of antioxidants. However you decide is the rIght plant-based tea for you, drink it, and enjoy the health benefits.
5. Leafy Greens
I try my best to incorporate leafy green vegetables in my meals, like Romaine lettuce, spinach, chard, celery, and cucumbers. Prepping them ahead of time makes it easier to have them during the week. It’s also an easy way to add them smoothies because they’re prepped and ready to blend.
6. Move My Body
Some days I don’t feel exercising but when I get over that block, I always feel better after my workout. There's something about starting being the hardest part of the whole process. Sometimes the first hurdle is hardest.
7. Downtime
Downtime always improves my mood and energy levels so I try to take breaks in my day. There’s a few good reasons to give your mind and body a rest:
- Increases your ability to stick to daily habits
- Lowers stress levels
- Increases creativity
- Boosts your ability to problem-solve
It's took me years to understand that taking time for myself is not wasting time but investing in my own wellbeing.
I hope these 7 ideas inspire you to find ways to support your wellbeing.
Xoxo,
Nicole