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Self Care Tip of the Week: Spoil Yourself Rotten & Feel Good About it!

Self Care Tip of the Week: Spoil Yourself Rotten & Feel Good About it!

When was the last time you did something for yourself that was totally self- indulgent? Something that was not about anyone else; not your spouse, your patient, your child; just YOU?

If you are like most nurses, you may be thinking that I am in fantasy land. Spoiling yourself just doesn’t happen. Well, it’s time for that to change.

This week, I want you to spoil yourself. Go ahead. Do something just for you. Remember when you were a kid and wanted something. Maybe it was an ice cream cone, a new pair of skates, or a fancy new bike. You wanted it, and you wanted it bad. I want you to remember that feeling and want this badly as well. Don’t let anything get in the way. Take a serious look at your calendar and see where you can schedule some time for your self indulgent project. It could be 2 hours, 1 hour, less or more. It depends.

You may be saying, “I don’t have any free time”. You’re right. Your time is usually taken up with activities. Here’s the deal: you have to either move something around or give something up. Such is the nature of life. To add any new habit/activity, something else has to go. And making that adjustment usually ends up for the better. What TV show can you miss? This is the #1 area I feel most people have extra time that they don’t even realize they can use. You may not realize it now, but missing an episode of a show to spoil yourself will totally be worth it. Try it! You will be surprised how much better you feel. It may not be TV. It may be something else that you do that takes up more time than you realize. Sketch out what you did today or yesterday and take a real honest look. Were there any activities (such as a rambling telephone conversation) that you could sacrifice?

Here are a few ideas for spoiling yourself:

*Create a folder for that vacation you have been dreaming about. Start clipping pictures from magazines or the internet about that location and add them to the binder. Use google and search for tours in that area and create a sample itinerary. Write it down and add it to the binder. Look for clothes online or in a store that you want to wear on this vacation. Have fun with this. You never know, just by writing about it, and planning it, you may set some positive energy in motion. Dreams can and DO come true!!!

*Take yourself out to a store/boutique in town that you have never been to before. Take your time in there exploring all the goodies they have. Even if you don’t buy anything, have a good look around and relish in this time.

*Turn off your cell phone and tell your family that you have a project that you HAVE to work on. Even if you can only spend 30 minutes, use that 30 minutes to indulge in something you have been putting off for a while. Examples: a book you’ve been meaning to start/finish reading, or a craft or hobby you have been abandoning.

*Have a spa day (or morning/afternoon). If going to a spa for a few hours of pampering is outside of your budget, create your own spa at home. Light a candle or two, play relaxing music, soak those tired footsies, search the internet for easy home made facial instructions.

These are just a few examples to get you thinking. Think of ideas that would excite you and that would make you feel indulgent, not guilty. This is an important point. Sometimes when we think of indulgence we think of food or other things that later come with feelings of guilt (or upset stomach lol). Try to steer clear of activities like this. Also try something different. If you watch TV every night, spending 30 minutes alone watching TV will probably not feel like you are spoiling yourself. Try to do something outside of  your routine. Get creative and use your imagination. It doesn’t have to be perfect, it is just about giving yourself permission to be spoiled for a while.

Now for the kicker, this actually isn’t spoiling yourself. These things are just part of taking care of yourself. We have just become so accustomed to routines and to giving to others, that the idea of taking time out for ourselves in these type of activities seems like being spoiled.

Whatever verbiage you choose to use, it doesn’t matter. Just think of some ideas, make a plan, and then DO IT!!!! You are worth it!

Don’t forget to let me know how it goes by leaving a comment below.

Talk soon,

Alicia-joy

 

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