Julia was so worn out after her long, busy week. She had been saying for months now that she needed to start doing something for herself to break up the habit of giving every ounce of herself to others.

She certainly was busy with work, the kids, family life, errands, cooking, cleaning, and the many other things that seemed to pop up daily, but she had always heard that she would never be able to fully take care of others if she didn’t take care of herself.

She thought to herself that as much as she wanted to take time for herself, there was just no time.

Julia is not alone. Many people find that they have trouble adding self-care to their daunting to-do lists. Some think it would paint them as being selfish while others just don’t think they have any time leftover.

But even if you can’t take an hour or two out of your day, there are small, simple steps you can take to start appreciating and caring for yourself today!

Check out these five ways you can start taking better care of yourself starting right now.

5 SIMPLE WAYS TO TAKE BETTER CARE OF YOURSELF TODAY

1. SAY NO

Do you have too much on your plate? Are you constantly saying “yes” to every work event, play date, and social gathering?

If it doesn’t feel important to you, it’s okay to say “no” to these invitations. Your friends and coworkers will understand, and you can use that time to do something for yourself instead!

Saying “no” to an event doesn’t mean you have to go out and do something else. Use your downtime to read that book you’ve been meaning to crack open for the past two years or take a relaxing bath.

2. USE AFFIRMATIONS

When you’re too busy caring for others, it’s easy to forget to love yourself. When you forget to give yourself some much-needed kind words, you can lose sight of your self-worth and self-confidence.

Make a point to wake up every morning and tell yourself you are beautiful/handsome, smart, talented, kind, hard-working, amazing, and whatever other adjectives that describe your wonderful self.

These kind affirmations will change your outlook for the entire day, and you’ll feel more loved and more confident in yourself and your abilities.

3. DREAM BIG

It’s easy to lose sight of the dreams you once had when you’re too busy taking care of and focusing on others. As you get older, these dreams tend to fade away. Other commitments pop up, your life gets hectic, and there is just no more time to give to them.

But this doesn’t have to happen, and you shouldn’t let it!

Allow yourself to refocus on those dreams (or even create new ones), and make it a priority to turn them into a reality! When you’re doing something you love and something you have a passion for, your drive, ambition, and joy will rub off on those around you and those you’re caring for.

4. GET INSPIRED

Do you still feel inspired every day? If you’re like many people who start to overcommit and stop allowing themselves to focus on self-care, then you might not.

Dig deep and think about what lights a fire inside of you. If you love to create art, start painting or sculpting. If you want to love your body more, start exercising and dieting. If you love to listen to music, go to some concerts!

Just doing something small that inspires you and creates a passionate drive can have a huge impact on your overall well-being!

5. EAT HEALTHY

Look, we’re a health coaching school, we have to throw this one in! An easy and often overlooked way to take care of yourself is to feed your body with healthy, nutrient-dense foods.

This might be challenging, especially if your busy schedule limits the amount of time you have to shop and cook, but when you feel good on the inside, you feel better on the outside.

Plan out your weekly dinners and do your shopping ahead of time, and prepare healthy lunches the night before. These simple steps will make it much easier to stay on track.

Make time to prepare a healthy meal for you and your family instead of ordering takeout, and you’ll actually WANT to do more things to take better care of yourself!

TO WRAP IT UP

Remember that you matter, too! You deserve the same amount of love and care that you’re constantly showering others with, and to reiterate – you cannot give your best to others if you don’t take care of yourself first!

Are you willing to try these 5 things to take better care of yourself today?

Want to read more about self-care? Check out this 4 Step Self-Care Assessment.