At the beginning of the year I started getting up early. I am not a morning person but inspired by reading Jay Shetty’s amazing book: Think Like a Monk I decided it was the only way I could guarantee to fit in my own practices.
I either started the day late & spent all day chasing that lost time or I’d somehow squeeze in a practice but it was with an energy of ‘squeezing it in’ rather than for the pure love & joy of doing so.
So now I start my day by doing all the things that serve me without it impacting on anyone else because they’re all still asleep – bosh no guilt!
Not that I buy into feeling guilty about self-care. No not me: I think self-care is a necessity not a privilege, an essential not a luxury…but I’m a Mum & there’s always an element of guilt isn’t there?
Not anymore!
Look, I’m no saint I don’t get up at silly-o’clock at the weekend & I have missed a handful of days – but guess what? The day never quite goes to plan when I don’t do it & the day is more of an effort.
When I do get up to practice before I do anything else, my day might not go to plan but it flows like it had.
I also set an intention every morning.
An intention is a commitment to carrying out an action, a plan or an aim.
We often start a yoga class by setting an intention, which sets the tone of your practice & this often sets for the tone for the rest of your day once you step off your yoga mat.
Setting an intention in the morning helps to shift energy & give purpose. It also helps keep me on track. Knowing I’ve set an intention at the beginning of the day makes me feel more accountable to really living it throughout the day.
And being more intentional & conscious has been especially valuable in helping me to manage my menopausal symptoms too!
Gratitude also plays an essential role in living more intentionally & consciously.
By practicing gratitude for the intention we’ve set, it’s as if we are already living it.
If we’re always wanting, wanting, wanting we are essentially living in an energy of lack but if we are in state of peace & gratitude it becomes a virtuous circle.
And did you know that the emotion you go to bed feeling is the emotion you wake up feeling?
So if you have an evening gratitude practice, you go to bed in a state of gratitude so guess what that’s what you wake up feeling & you find more things to be grateful for & you start living your intention – another virtuous circle.
Living intentionally, consciously & with a purpose is exactly what self-care is all about.
Making yourself a priority in your life isn’t selfish, that’s self-care.
Creating the space to do that before you do anything else, isn’t selfish, it’s self-care.
Creating the space to make yourself a priority isn’t selfish, it’s an intentional act of self-care.