Traditionally the focus of summer self-care is all about getting our bodies ready for summer as we shed those winter layers.
The atmosphere in the air is one of vacation time, with children being out of school, parents planning family vacations, and those who don’t have children, deciding what opportunities summer can bring them.
Summer can be a time to pause and care for your being. With the change in pace in the environment, it is an opportune time to change the pace of self – a chance to stop and give to self. Aside from traditional physical self-care, I invite you to take a journey to care for self from within:
Embrace your body as it is now:
You may be feeling the pressure of having a summer-ready body. The advertisements and magazines showcase what they want you to believe is ideal – the ideal fashion and the ideal look. However, no one gets to define who you should be and what you should look like. Your physical being is a beautiful orchestra of perfection, coordinating your heartbeat, your breathing, your flowing blood, the many systems operating without you having to control them. Focus on this perfection when you look at your physical being. Embrace the magic that is your body. There is no reason to conform to the standards of society. Rather, wear the clothes that make you happy, embrace your physical body in this moment simply because of its perfection of independent functioning, and welcome any other bonuses your physical being shows you. See yourself as Source/God/Goddess/Universe sees you – you are perfectly perfect as long as you allow yourself to be that. Take a moment to thank your body for functioning as it does, and appreciate the possibilities that await you.
Nourish your mind:
Self-care for the mind is giving your mind the resources of education, community, and inspiration. Life gets busy and our routines are mostly fixed. When was the last time you took time to read a book for enjoyment or edification? When last did you spend time with those people who make you feel alive and joyful – the people who leave you feeling mentally renewed? Give yourself some mental self-care by choosing at least one person or community to bask in. Choose three to five things that mentally invigorate your being.
Feed your Spirit:
We may have fallen into a routine when it comes to feeding Spirit. We have set practices that feel good and connect us to Source/God/Goddess/Universe. Sometimes taking time to expand this connection by deepening the practice or seeking to expand your current practice with something new, can revitalize and enrich this connection. Give your Spirit self-care by exploring what feels good to your being and what you may want to add to deepen this connection. You may want to spend more time in nature, start a meditation practice, or increase your meditation time.
You get to decide what self-care is right for your being. Check in with yourself and see what your being needs. What makes you feel alive and excited that you perhaps have not done in a while? What will you do for your summer self-care? Share and let’s exchange summer self-care ideas!
Many Blessings,
Santa
