This is a fast-paced world we live in. There’s always another item on our to-do list, there’s always something that needs to get done, something we claim more important than ourselves.
I think our society glorifies being busy, stressed and overwhelmed and it has become somewhat of a marker of success. Like you can’t be succeeding if you don’t have a million things on your plate or if you’re not stressed out you’re not working hard enough or doing enough.
This kind of thinking is not only toxic, but it is ultimately destructive. Always being busy doesn’t make someone successful, and success is much, MUCH more than just how well you’re doing in your career or business. There is no correlation between how much work you have to do and how successful you are in life.
Defining your own success
The best way to start living a more balanced life is to create your own definition of success. How do you view success today? How did you view success throughout your life? Who defined your version of success; you or someone else?
It may be hard at first to untangle that web, but it’s so so important to think carefully about where our definition of success came from to understand why we view them this way and how that definition has helped us and hindered us over time.
When you redefine what it means to be successful to you, you’ll sometimes find discrepancies in your life. For example, if you’ve only ever viewed success as a certain dollar figure income or a certain title, then you won’t be able to appreciate all the other small successes you’ve had along the way, and you won’t be truly happy or see yourself as a successful person until you hit that goal. But as you change your definition you’ll be able to make room for all those smaller wins on the way to the big win.
What’s most important though, is understanding that success doesn’t only come in the form of financial reward, in fact in a lot of ways it’s one of the least important factors.
True success is being happy with yourself and your life, it’s striving to always improve while being completely happy with things staying exactly the way they are.
It’s not needing something so bad that you won’t be happy until you get it. It’s feeling peace within you because you know that no matter what stage of your journey you’re in, you’re giving it your best.
Success is being able to do little self-care acts and not feel guilty about them, or about spending time on yourself.
At least that is part of my own definition. You can have your own, and decide for yourself what this elusive word means. And you will see that once you’re done redefining it, that you’ve been successful in so many ways, at so many times in your life, and now that more things fit your description of success, you’ll find little successes daily.
why self-care is important for success
You know when you’re on a plane and they have their little demo of the safety devices on the aircraft and they say to put on your oxygen mask before helping others with theirs?
That’s why. Because you can’t help others if you can’t breathe and pass out. Or worse. Self-care is a big, big part of being successful, because you can’t enjoy it if you’re sick and bedridden from exhaustion and stress.
Self-care isn’t just about bathing with a bath bomb and lighting some candles. It’s about the commitment you make to yourself to recharge when needed, it’s about making the time to use that bath bomb you’ve had for months and setting the mood for your relaxing night with some candles.
There is value in making time for yourself. At the end of the day, our minds and bodies work exponentially better when we give ourselves some time to shut them off, cleanse them and recharge them.
recharge your body
- draw a bubble bath and light some candles
- do a face mask
- take a dancing class just for fun
- do some stretches and try to make it a routine
- get a massage
- do breathing exercises
- spend time connecting with nature
- get that fresh haircut you’ve been pushing off
- paint your nails your favorite color
- use your favorite lotion and while you’re using it, tell your body how much you love it for everything it does for you
- turn on some music and shake your body, dance to the songs that bring you instant joy
- do your favorite exercise, with gratitude for having some time to take care of your hard-working body
- buy or cook your favorite meal, and as you eat it, savor it with intention
- sleep – answer the call when your body is asking you for rest
- make a list of the things that bring you stress and find ways to cut them out or minimize them
- get necessary medical check-ups
- do a junk food detox
recharge your mind
- journal, get your thoughts out on paper so they’re not taking up so much room in your mind
- take out your art materials and make something for the fun of it, no rules, no plan, no need for perfection; just create
- meditate, trust me
- read that book you’ve been wanting to read, at least for 20 minutes
- write a note to yourself as though you were someone else and thank ‘them’ for all they’ve done for you, list it
- make a vision board
- read uplifting things, talk to uplifting people
- learn something new you’ve always wanted to know
- declutter: get rid of things that don’t bring you joy support your growth
- take the day off from social media and emails
- speak your mind; talk to a loved one and get your feelings out
- listen to your favorite uplifting music
- make your favorite cup of tea
- write a list of things you love about your life
- buy yourself your favorite flowers
- take a weekend trip to a relaxing spot
- watch the sunrise or the sunset in an open space
- do one of your hobbies or pick up a new hobby
recharge your soul
- reconnect with your spiritual beliefs
- learn more about the wonders of the world
- meditate (yup, this recharges your EVERYTHING)
- write a list of all the things you’re grateful for
- talk to people who soothe your soul
- spend time connecting with nature and fill yourself with gratitude for it
- live more mindfully; always bring yourself back to the present moment
- travel somewhere new
- meet new people in different cultures and with different perspectives
- do more of what makes you feel most connected to yourself
- reconnect with your intuition
- do a random act of kindness for a stranger
- speak to God/the Universe/your deity of choice
- let go of things that bother you and things that are weighing you down: declutter your mind of past regrets, guilt, mistakes, failures, etc.
now it's your turn
As you can see, there are many ways to give yourself a little love, some of which take less than 5 minutes. There is something on this list for everyone, which is why I’m challenging you to take a moment of your day to do one (or more, I’m not stopping you) of these TODAY. Which one will you do?
Let’s encourage each other, too! If you know a friend in need of some self care, share these ideas with them and spread the self-love vibes!
What self-care idea did I miss? Which one will you be doing today? Drop it in the comments and I’ll add it to this post with credits.
With love,
Tiff
![[Self-Care for success] This is a fast-paced world we live in. There’s always another item on our to-do list, there’s always something that needs to get done, something we claim more important than ourselves. I think our society glorifies being busy, stressed and overwhelmed and it has become somewhat of a marker of success. Like you can’t be succeeding if you don’t have a million things on your plate or if you’re not stressed out you’re not working hard enough or doing enough.](https://www.thegoldenletter.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/50-Self-Care-Ideas-BP-819x1024.jpg)
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