Showing up for yourself can look different to each person, and it might even change over time – but it’s just basically another way of saying loving yourself, honoring yourself and being your own biggest supporter. In other words, showing up for yourself is the ultimate form of self-care and self-advocation. It’s about making your needs a priority, whether it’s mental, emotional, physical or spiritual. Making time for self-care is important for our overall health, especially as we’re still navigating through quarantine, a pandemic and any other personal life changes you might be experiencing. It’s also important to note that unless you show up for yourself, you can’t fully show up for anyone or anything else.
I’ve been showing up for myself by setting aside time for my daily routines (like at-home workouts, journaling and TM meditation). Also getting lots of sunshine and filling my free time with things I love, like reading, cooking, eating, walking and friends. To me, showing up for yourself also includes saying NO to things that don’t serve you. Here are 6 ways you can start showing up for yourself.
Acknowledge where you are
The first step to showing up for yourself is simply acknowledging your present state with judgement. It’s important to accept ourselves and our surroundings so we know what to change. This is helpful if you want to start showing up for yourself but don’t know how to start. Give yourself full permission to be exactly who and where you are!
Notice how you talk to yourself
It’s important to be mindful of the way you talk to yourself. When you start to notice negative self-talk and judgments, try to make it constructive. To combat your inner critic that tries attack your self-worth, change the direction of your inner monologue with daily affirmations.
Create daily affirmations
Adding on to what I mentioned above, creating and repeating daily affirmations and personal mantras throughout the day is a great way to give yourself a mental and emotional boost. It helps replace negative thoughts with strong, confident ones. Pick an affirmation that inspires and motivates you – or create one that makes you feel powerful and assured. These affirmations are a great place to start!
Write in a gratitude journal
Journaling is an important part of both my morning and nighttime routine. On top of writing a bulleted list of my to-do’s in the morning and reflecting on my day before bed, I also like to write down not only what I’m grateful for but also express appreciation for myself. If a daily gratitude journal doesn’t sound realistic for you, start with a weekly check-in!
Set aside time for yourself
Between work and homework, I like to set aside time for myself throughout the day to practice self-care. It’s important to take care of our inner minds, souls and bodies and reserve time for things that made you happy. For me, that looks like reading, cooking, going on walks, setting aside 1 hour every morning to workout and meditating. These are great relaxers and make for the best mid-day resets!
Be mindful to support your immune system
Mindfulness can be translated to present moment awareness. Meditating for even 5 minutes everyday can help reset your mind, mood and perspective. Meditation and breathing exercises can help slow down your heart rate, clear your mind and minimize the effects of stress and anxiety. Which all works to support your immune system. If meditating doesn’t work for you, there are lots of other ways to be mindful! Like taking a bath, reading, limiting screen time, eating healthy meals and repeating affirmations.
What’s something you’re doing to show up for yourself? I’d love to hear your favorite self-care practices!
