what i've learned from self-care

One of my words for 2016 is Health, which I've been exploring in the form of what it means to really, truly take care of myself.

Not that I've been treating myself like garbage till now - I've clearly been interested in various forms of compassion since childhood, from animal rights to eco-conscious fashion, to eating organic whole foods.

In spite of my dedication, I found myself a bit run down at the end of 2015. Even if it was mostly from participating in things I genuinely wanted to do, some of it was a result of FOMO in regards to gaining experience, generating income, networking, or simply hanging out with people who light me up.

All of the things we love to do, however, should not lead to a lack of energy and general sense of feeling overwhelmed on a regular basis. "Too many emails" or "not enough time" were invalid reasons to skip regimens that fuel my body and mind like meditation, quick self-massages, or going to bed earlier.

I've decided to ditch my "too busy" excuses and start cultivating a better relationship with self-care, because I realized it means so much more than eating healthy or practicing yoga. It is not a monthly treat or only applicable when on vacation. It is a daily, continual practice that is imperative to integrate into every day, maybe even every moment, if we want to operate properly and live our highest potential.

Self-care for me encompasses practices that make me feel good from the inside, fueled, loved, appreciated, at ease in the moment. It strips away the "what ifs" of the past and to-do lists of the future.

Aside from nourishing food and asana, this personally means things like allowing myself good sleep, seated meditation, dancing [even if it's around my apartment], reading, little body oil massages before a warm shower, and downtime in the comforting embrace of my snuggly couch.

I've noticed these simple practices offer valuable lessons when I give them precedence over subbing every class or filling every free moment with work. Life can be a blast and full of fun things, but it is also too short to forego a much needed cat-nap for the sake of checking off every single box on a list.

Click here to read the full post, including six wisdom nuggets I've learned from slowing down and making space in order to bring attention to my overall, daily wellbeing.

As Mary Oliver says, "You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves." Just because we put in extra hours of work or become a slave to our craft does not make us a better person or guarantee success. 

We do not always have to have our shit together to be the best version of ourselves. We do, however, need to take care of ourselves in order to function on an every-day level.

What have you learned from your own self-care, and how can you learn to implement it more regularly?

Read on for a new favorite dessert from my sweet friend, wellness goodies, good music and more.

*Photo above by Renee Choi at Lucent Yoga, wearing Hyde organic yoga apparel.