by STRONG | Apr 2, 2023 | Faith + Expressions
Self-care is essential for us as women to prioritize our well-being and maintain our physical, emotional, and mental health. Taking care of oneself can be challenging, especially when there are multiple responsibilities to juggle. However, here are some ways you can improve your self-care routine:
~Let Me Count The Ways~
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Make time for yourself: It’s essential to carve out time in your schedule to prioritize yourself. Set aside time for activities you enjoy, such as reading, taking a bubble bath, or going for a walk.
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Get enough rest: Getting enough rest is crucial for overall health and well-being. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep each night and taking breaks throughout the day to rest and recharge.
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Eat well: A balanced and healthy diet is critical for maintaining energy levels and overall health. Make sure you’re eating a variety of nutritious foods and avoiding processed and unhealthy options.
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Exercise regularly: Exercise is an excellent way to reduce stress, improve mental health, and boost energy levels. Find a form of exercise that you enjoy and make it a regular part of your routine.
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Practice mindfulness: Mindfulness practices such as meditation, deep breathing, and yoga can help reduce stress and anxiety and improve overall well-being.
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Connect with others: Spending time with friends and family can help reduce stress and provide a sense of belonging and support. Make time for social activities and meaningful conversations with those you care about.
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Seek professional help: Sometimes, self-care may involve seeking professional help. Whether it’s therapy, counseling, or medical treatment, seeking help when needed is a critical part of taking care of oneself.
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Set boundaries: Setting boundaries is essential for self-care. Learn to say no to commitments that don’t align with your priorities and make time for the things that matter most.
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Engage in self-reflection: Engaging in self-reflection can help you identify areas for improvement and develop a deeper understanding of yourself. Take time to reflect on your values, goals, and priorities.
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Celebrate your accomplishments: Celebrating your accomplishments, no matter how small, can help build self-confidence and a sense of pride in your achievements.
In conclusion, self-care is essential for us to prioritize our well-being and maintain physical, emotional, and mental health. By intentionally making time for ourself, getting enough rest, eating well, exercising regularly, practicing mindfulness, connecting with others, seeking professional help, setting boundaries, engaging in self-reflection, and celebrating accomplishments, we can improve our self-care routine and achieve a greater sense of well-being and fulfillment. Remember that self-care is not selfish; it’s an essential part of living a healthy and happy life.
Seek to be inspired daily,
by Altimese Nichole | Mar 2, 2016 | Family + Relationships
My husband and I are quickly approaching our one year anniversary and I cannot believe it!!! It’s so beautiful to me when I talk to friends who desire to be married and have a beautiful sparkle in their eye, signifying their hope toward one day experiencing a covenant love all their own. It reminds me of when I was her and she was me.
I remember having a conversation with a married friend years ago (she has been married for over eight years and my now husband and I were dating for three at that point). I said to her “I can’t wait to experience the beauty of marriage!” Her response was simply a soft-spoken response, “It’s not what you think it will be.” I immediately thought this:
Wow. Why would she say that? What does that mean? Maybe experiences allowed her to become jaded, but I will not allow them to get me to that place. I will never speak that same words to a woman dreaming and hoping for her time and season of marriage.
Now, almost 5 years later… I am meeting my dear friend for lunch as a married woman, almost one year in— and I get it. I get her beautiful, honest, yet graceful response to my inexperienced perspective. Her words years ago prepared planted a seed of remembrance for me.
When I think of her statement now, I ask for forgiveness for the judgement; I pray for her continued strength as a wife and mother; I pray for myself, that I may grow into that level of grace within my own marriage; and I remind myself to be gracefully honest with the women I love so dearly who desire to follow the same path.
Marriage is absolutely beautiful. It also requires an act of selfless love that we’ve never experienced before. Parenthood is an agape love through nature and nurture. When dealing with two grown adults, the act of agape must be learned and developed over time. I’ve so thankful for her love toward me to tell me an open truth, and I want to encourage other beautiful women with the same level of advice.
As you dream of your upcoming marriage that you’ve prayed for fervently, also pray for grace to see His creation through His eyes, and not your own. Our vision is flawed but His is the view of beauty that we desire.
XOXO,
by Taylor Gardner | Feb 9, 2016 | Family + Relationships
As women, and even people in general, it is easy to get caught up in the hype and lose yourself completely. So often we agree to do things with or for people because we don’t want to disappoint them. And when we do say no, it is a huge problem or at least we feel as if it is. But, what about you? Why should you always be the one to give in? Now, I am not saying never do anything for anyone ever again, but I am saying be intentional with who and how you spend your time.
In our world, being selfish has gotten a bad reputation and rightfully so. However, sometimes it is okay to be selfish, when it is the right kind of selfish. You can’t constantly give yourself without taking the time to re-energize. Now, this may be the introvert in me, but there is nothing better than taking a night to be completely by myself, doing whatever I WANT. Whether I take to time to write, read a book, take a relaxing bubble bath, drink a glass of wine, or just let my mind wander until I fall asleep, it is just nice to have that time be about me and only me. I love my friends, coworkers, and family, I really do, but I have learned to love myself a little more. I began to see a difference in the way I felt about myself and treated others after I started taking some time for me. And let me tell you it was much needed mood change. I used to feel bad for telling my friends I couldn’t go out with them or telling my boss that I couldn’t stay that extra hour, but I realize that it was best for my well-being that I do less when necessary and I encourage you to do the same thing!
This time alone doesn’t have to be boring, but it should be all about you and what you like. If you want to go to a museum, do it! A trip to a new city, do it! Wine tastings, do it! Sit in your house and do absolutely nothing but watch Netflix, do it! You deserve to treat yourself to a little me time at least monthly, I promise you won’t regret it. DON’T completely shun people out of your life or neglect your responsibilities, but BE the right kind of selfish. YOU ARE WORTH IT!
xo,
Taylor G.
by Altimese Nichole | Feb 9, 2016 | Family + Relationships
True Friends are worth making the effort for when life gets busy. As we challenge ourselves to live a life of intentional behavior, here are some ways to help us be more intentional with improving our friendships:
- Periodically Check-in
For some reason, many believe that effort must be equivalent to something grand, or extremely time consuming. This is not necessarily true! Effort could be as simple as a text to say hello (which can be scheduled within your phone, by the way), A kind message on through a social platform, or a brief 5 minute call. For me, life is busy! In the midst of a full time job, a full-time marriage, and full-time dreams– I am still expected to maintain my relationships to the best of my ability. Well- in Atlanta, I am not excluded from traffic! While in traffic (and using my bluetooth and voice command service in my car), that’s when I catch up with loved ones. Every Sunday as I plan for my week, I write down 2-3 names of friends and family in my planner and write down the best day to call. Writing this down helps me to remember, and it also make it just as important as all other things on my calendar. Random “thinking of you” notes are always great too!
- Learn their language of Love
We all have 5 core love languages but the rankings change for every individual! Many apply the love languages to their spouse or significant other but love languages apply to ALL relationships, including friendships. My love language is time for the majority of my relationships. However, a dear friend of mine has a love language of word of affirmation. As her friend, I choose to speak life into our brief conversations and she makes the effort to make time for us to catch up– even in the midst of her busy family life. By us taking the time to truly learn one another’s love languages, it removes any assumptions and helps us tap directly into showing appreciation for one another.
- Seek friendship God’s Way
The word “friend” is taken too lightly in many situations.True friendship takes time, tests, and success through the tests. In the Book, The Woman Code by Sophia Nelson, Ms. Nelson states the following:
“To be a “sister” is to be a friend. To be loyal. Tried-and-true. It is to give a smile, lend a hand, and practice friendship. it is to be forgiving. to be a covering, a balm, a helping hand, a fierce advocate and builder of other women. Being a “sister” means you value other woman as you value yourself.”
Being a true friend goes beyond a word and requires the act of love toward another person. Make it a point to seek God’s Word and guidance as it pertains to friendship. He will never fail you.
If you haven’t had a chance, please pick up a copy of 31 Days of Intentional Behavior, written by ours truly– STRONG Founder, Coupe Scott!!
Want to learn more about Sophia Nelson’s book, The Woman Code: 20 Powerful Keys to Unlock Your Life? Check out my recent book review and be inspired!
XOXO
by Altimese Nichole | Feb 9, 2016 | Learn + Grow
Let me first start by saying the author, Rachel Macy Stafford, has a beautiful way with words and how she conveys her message to her readers. As a wife and mother, you hear her adoration and gratitude toward the precious gifts in her life called family. She has a way within her writing that will make you say “hmmm,” and pause for reflection. Her ability to do this make her book very intriguing and a great read within itself.
The book is written while she captured her journey to become hands free, which simply means to release control in life and open our hearts to the beauty of what is. Although I am a wife, I have not ventured into the journey of motherhood yet. So, there were a lot of things that she addressed that would be extremely beneficial to busy moms who crave to not miss the special moments. She address habits of setting boundaries, living in the present, give what matters, and more.
If you’re preparing to be a mother, a new mom, or have been on the journey of motherhood for some time now, this book would definitely inspire you to embrace every moment with gratitude and with the need of less control.
Have you read this book? If so, tell us what you think!
XOXO
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