Self-care can be a concept that seems a little far away and untouchable. An idea rather than a reality.
But applying self-care to your life everyday helps you grow and learn and become someone who cares for yourself as much as you care for others!
There are three simple ways to show yourself care every day and continue building up your own self-esteem. Doing the little things lead to big changes, so even if those three things seem like almost nothing, they add up in a hurry.
Stay consistent with each of your self-care actions, and you’ll start to see changes in your self-care and compassion!
Create a Self-Care Routine
Self-care looks different for everyone! In pop culture, self-care often looks exactly the same: candles, retail therapy, Starbucks, and a bubble bath.
But when it comes to the exact way you create a self-love routine, it’s all about you!
While you may love everything about candles, retail therapy, and a bubble bath, the type of self-care routine that you need might focus on other areas of your life.
Whatever your self-care routine consists of, start by unplugging yourself from social media and TV.
Set aside plenty of time for your self-care routine. Whether that’s a foot massage, folding laundry, cleaning your entire house, or going for a run, create a space where you can really focus on caring for yourself.
Even if your self-care routine isn’t exciting or Instagram-worthy, spending that time centers you for the week, and taking time to do it every day builds up over time!
A Good Christian Self-Care Routine Might Include:
1 Prayer and Meditation:
Start the day with prayer and meditate on God’s word to establish a spiritual foundation for the day.
2 Reading the Bible:
Spend time reading the Bible to gain wisdom and insights that can guide one’s daily life.
3 Attend Church:
Regularly attend church services and participate in fellowship with other believers to receive spiritual nourishment and support.
4 Exercise:
Engage in physical exercise to maintain good health and increase energy levels.
5 Healthy Eating:
Eat a balanced diet to nourish the body and keep it functioning at its best.
6 Rest and Sleep:
Get adequate rest and sleep to recharge the body, mind, and soul.
7 Self-reflection:
Take time to reflect on one’s life, examine personal beliefs, and evaluate progress towards spiritual and personal goals.
Overall, a good Christian self-care routine should focus on nurturing the mind, body, and soul in ways that align with Christian values and principles.
Tidy Your Space
Cleaning the space where you live and work is a powerful way to express care for yourself!
When your space gets cluttered, your mind can get cluttered as well. Tidying the space where you live is a great act of self-care that is easy to do every day.
Take time out of your day to clean up the space around your home. Don’t stress yourself too much about deep cleaning every space within your home. Instead, choose a small area to tidy up as you go.
Pick one room, a specific task, or a time frame for your tidying and stick to it! Don’t let yourself slack off before the timer goes off or before the task is complete. Stick to the plan and make sure to get everything picked up.
Even if you’re not feeling up to it, the simple act of cleaning or tidying can be exhilarating and leave you feeling better without a lot of effort! So many times, I'll set a 15 minute timer for cleaning. The timer's going off before I know but by then, I'm inspired to clean more.
Do Something You’re Good At
There’s no better cure for feeling like you’ve got low self-esteem than doing something you’re good at!
Even if it’s a struggle, there’s always something that you do well. Choose an activity that you love and that you do well and practice it every day.
This doesn’t even have to be something big like playing an instrument or creating a piece of art! Just pick a little thing that you like and that you’re good at to boost your self-esteem.
If you’re good at puzzles, set aside time to work on one each day. Excellent at running? Go for a jog each day after work!
Whatever it is that you do well, make time to do it frequently!
Don’t short yourself on time for this activity. Give yourself plenty of time in the day to practice what you're good at, and don’t cut yourself off. The more you persevere, even when things aren’t the best, the easier it is to dig in and feed off your self-esteem later on!
Tips to Practice Your Self-Care Each Day
Saying you’ll practice your self-care every day and actually getting it done are two different things. There are some simple tips that you can add to your routine to make sure you build your self-care.
Build Your Schedule
It might seem simple, but don’t leave your self-care routine up to chance! Build your schedule so that it easily includes those self-care acts. Running out of time to care for yourself makes it hard to continue loving yourself in every way.
Let Yourself Indulge
Sometimes it’s okay to indulge! It doesn’t have to be big indulgences but take time to spoil yourself with your self-care routines. Even those little moments can be a big deal when you’ve been struggling with your self-esteem.
Takeaway
Practicing your self-care every day is one of the best ways to continue to grow your self-esteem and compassion! Even the little things add up, and doing them every day creates space for you to grow as a person and develop your own self-care.
Even if you don’t see change overnight, keeping things consistent and giving your body and mind time to adjust and grow is key. Don’t let a momentary setback keep you from achieving your goals!