10 ways to take better care of yourself

1.  Move Everyday

2.  Good Food

This is probably the most important one.  I have been eating crap.  I have been eating good stuff from the garden but there has been so much dairy and gluten too.  These things are not good for me.  I know this.  I know I feel better when I eat less of it.  My problem is I am not planning.  Which means I am planning to fail.  I need to make meal plans and stick to them.  I will feel better and I bet I will lose weight which will make me happier too.

 

3.  Water, drink it

I used to be really really really good at this one…  I am a little embarrassed it made the list.  I would drink a gallon in a day.  Now maybe a few glasses are all I get.  This is no good!  I am sure this a big reason why I feel awful.  Our bodies need water.  I am going to keep my water jar on my desk and force myself to drink 3 of them.  I think this will be the easiest area for me to fix.

4.  Bath

I am a bad sleeper.  A bath before bed is one of the best ways for me to get ready for sleep.  I have these great bath salts that melt away everything.  I have not done this in months.  With the cooler weather coming I am sure a warm bath will be welcomed unlike during the hot summer we have had.

5.  Be Grateful

This one I have been doing almost daily. There is so much to be grateful for.  Breathing is impressive.  This planet we call home is amazing.  The list of things we should be thankful for is endless.  I feel much better in life when my heart is grateful.  I will keep making lists and saying them out loud.  Bonus points for telling them to other people.

6.  Silence/Breathe

My mind is a very loud place.  There are always thoughts buzzing.  Worries, concerns, ideas, plans, ect.  Some are good but a break is good too.  Today I was quiet for all of 5 minutes.  I set a timer.  It was the longest 5 minutes.  The buzz of thoughts finally died down near the end.  I was focused on my breath.  In and out.  I felt much calmer after.

7.  Pep Talks

This one is similar to gratefulness but these are directed at me.  I am pretty harsh with myself.  I say things to myself that I would never let anyone say to a friend.  Why should I be a bully to myself?  I will think of ways I am awesome and tell myself so.  I think I can be harshest about my body.  I need to remember how awesome it is I get a body!  One that can do almost anything I ask of it.  This is a blessing.

8.  Connect

I have been a bad friend these days.  I try to reach out and see people but I also suck at it.  Part of the problem is I have lots going on and when I am not busy I don’t want to leave my house.  It’s an extrovert who is also an introvert thing.  I love my peeps but I need a minute.  I have been attempting to make plans to see people and I will continue.  I have been texting people but that only gets you so far.  My tribe is important and I need to see them.

9.  Clear Space

My room is a mess.  It is extra bad now since I purged so much for the garage sale and there have been so many trips to pack for.  I think better in a clean space.  It is also so much easier to find things when they are put away.  This makes for a much happier girl.  I will at least get my desk cleared off.  This will make writing so much easier.

10.  Laugh

Last but not least laugh.  I get down when I am busy and forget to recharge.  Laughing helps cheer me up.  I found this amazing app, Crazy Heliumbooth, and you can make the funniest videos!  It swirls your face and changes your voice.  Makes me laugh every time!  Side splitting laughter.  I also like videos of animals being cute or babies laughing.  Always makes me happy.

A forgiveness ritual to create peace and release old hurts.

A daily gratitude ritual has made me such a happier person, but there was something missing. A powerful source I found is Ho’oponopono. Hard to say, but magic for your mental health. This practice is much bigger than how I practice now. It is all about your thoughts and how they affect the world and forgiving yourself.

The forgiveness I am talking about is personal. Meaning you never have to tell the person you forgave them. If you want to, you can, but this is about you, not the other person or situation. This is for you to let go. In life, you don’t always get the apologies you need. Forgiveness in this context has nothing to do with anyone but all to do with you. It’s about taking the time to acknowledge the pain in your life, past and present, and letting it go.

Steps for a Forgiveness Ritual

1. Make a list of hurts, join the Inner Circle for the free downloadable journal
2. Forgive a few items on the list each day
3. Repeat daily until your list is all crossed off
4. You can start over making a new list or spend time daily forgiving recent hurts

Day One: Make a list of hurts

This step might make you feel icky, but it will be worth it! Give yourself time and space to be open and honest. I like to use scratch or lose paper for this so I can get rid of the list once I am done. Join the Inner Circle for the free downloadable journal. Make yourself a cup of tea (or whatever tickles your fancy). Find a place you feel comfortable to sit for a bit, meditate or take a few deep breaths and open your mind and let your pen go.

Start by thinking of any current situations. Any hurts that happened in the last week. It could be small or large. A stranger cuts you off while driving. Your boss doesn’t like your work. Your friends go to a party without you. You beat yourself up. Your dog snores so you can’t sleep. Even if it seems silly, just get it out of your head. Spend maybe 10 minutes on your list. You don’t have to think of everything today. This is a daily ritual, after all.

Other ideas for lists other than current are family, friends, work, childhood/school, strangers, situations, and yourself. Try not to judge yourself if your list is long or short. This is a process. It is not about being a victim or a martyr. This is looking for hurts that need to heal.

Day Two: Forgive a few items on the list

Go back through your list and pick a few you want to forgive. Three items a day is an easy start. For each item, remember the moment when the hurt occurred. The person who hurt you or the situation. Remember exactly how you felt. Say out loud or to yourself, “I am sorry. I forgive you. I love you. And thank you.”

• I am sorry. This is to forgive yourself for your contribution to the situation. An apology to the universe for your own feelings, thoughts, on the situation. It may have nothing to do with you but acknowledging that you were a participant just by being in the space and how it made you feel helps release. This gives you ownership of your feelings. It can also help you see you are not your feelings and thoughts. You can feel things and move on.

• I forgive you. This is where the magic is. This is where you forgive. Saying it out loud really resonates. It is when you decide YOU are more important than that moment of hurt. Let go of the hurt for your own sake and no one else. This is all about you!

• I love you. This may feel gross to say. I love you is important because it helps you remember a person hurt you. This person makes mistakes just like you do. Love is compassion. Love reminds you we are all doing our best. You would rather be treated with love, right? If you are rejecting sending love, you could try “I hope you find love.” Sending love can be more difficult than forgiveness. Don’t skip it.

• Thank you. Be grateful for the lesson. Be grateful that next time you are hurt, maybe you can take it less personally. People cause hurt when they are unhappy or unthinking. They forget you are a person with feelings. They may seem like they don’t care, but if they examined their actions, they probably would. Be thankful that you don’t want to make others feel the way you felt.

Make sure you breathe. Be gentle with yourself and how you feel. Pick a few easy ones to start. Do not tackle the entire list in one day!

Day Three: Repeat daily until your list is all crossed off

If you want to take the time to create an extensive list in the first few days, go for it. If you want to add to the list daily, go for it. Whatever feels right to you. Now incorporate forgiveness into your daily routine. If you already have a meditation practice or journaling time, you could add it there. When you run out of hurts in your journal, congratulate yourself!

Forgiveness is difficult! The journey doesn’t end there. Things will come up in life. Just keep practicing.

Soon you can work without a list and forgive whatever comes up for you when it happens. I still like to take the time to forgive three people or situations a day. Whatever my mind thinks of first.

Lingering and Big Hurts

Letting go and forgiveness aren’t easy. There may be a few big hurts that need more attention. My experience is that the hurts ease after I have forgiven them, but some big ones will come back up. A cord-cutting meditation can help. This one is my favorite. Journaling your hurt as a letter or talking to someone you trust could also help. Forgiveness isn’t a linear path. There are depths to healing.

If you have a big hurt in your past that was traumatic, you may not be ready to forgive. Again, don’t beat yourself over that. Start small. Start with forgiving yourself for not being ready. Get help and support. You can do it!

Would you like a free Forgiveness Journal download? Join the Bliss Questing Inner Circle. Already a member, get your journal here.

Have you ever tried a forgiveness practice?

I am working on a project called The Daily Ritual. It is an audio recording and journal you can use every day to get you closer to your IDEAL life. It is a mix of meditation and visualizing with prompts for gratitude, forgiveness, and sending love.

Want to know when it is available? Sign up for updates.

I am not a doctor. This is a method that has worked for me personally. I have experienced emotional trauma, and it took me decades to finally forgive. You may need the help of a professional to work through it. That’s ok!