30 ways to pamper yourself…without food
Alexander Ramsey State Park – 9-28-13
This morning in honor of a serious case of Spring Fever, I’m sharing my 30 favorite healthy ways to pamper myself…without food. Spring is the perfect time to renew your sense of self and make sure that you’re in the equation of your own life.
I used to fill my time, and fill myself up, with food. Food was my escape –my “go to” for everything that ailed me. Once I got healthy and put myself in the equation, I had to find fun and easy alternatives to filling that time and space in a way that nurtured me. That meant doing things that I love and that renewed my sense of self…my spirit.
I now have a “go to list” of all things self care! I love my list. These are replacements for the empty filling of food. The list comes in handy because often one idea or alternative isn’t possible or available. And the truth is, many times it’s a real struggle to step away from the refrigerator or avoid a trip to the grocery store to buy binge food, and instead go for a nature walk, call a friend, write in my journal…
There will be times you’ll have to push yourself to choose the healthy alternative vs. the old behavior or pattern, i.e. go for a walk instead of reach for that cheese block or the thing you think you really want in the refrigerator.
For many, it’s not about food as a go to, but they are busy doing everything for everyone else, like I was. They don’t make time for themselves. When you are feeling stressed, crabby and overwhelmed (out of your equation) it’s also not easy to drop everything and convince yourself to go for a nature walk, call a friend, take 15 min to meditate or write in your journal. But I guarantee you, it works. Every time!
Once I learned to care for myself on a regular basis, it’s become routine and my “go to list” is committed to memory. It becomes a healthy habit instead of something tough to do. So, “Pamper” isn’t even the right word for this list. To me, it’s self care. Taking care of yourself and staying focused on you in a positive healthy way, even when you might not feel like it. And recognizing that in doing so, you are going to better at everything else. A better parent, partner, sibling, friend, etc.
Here is my list of Top 30 ways to care for yourself and make time for you, especially when things are tough. I encourage you to come up with your own “go to list” of what works for you.
Download my list here for inspiration and/or make your own! ITE_2014-30-ways-to-pamper
