You need meaningful self care. Try this.
Image: Markus Spiske
So many of the professionals that I talk with these days are feeling overwhelmed and challenged with navigating their work and/or personal responsibilities in a way that feels energizing.Their foundation feels shaky and focusing their energy can seem like a big ask.
And yet, research shows us that when you take good care of your body, mind, spirit and environment, you can create an unshakeable foundation of well-being that underlies everything you do. This is, at its most basic level, what is meant by “managing your energy”.
Life informs work and work informs life. Investing in a solid foundation of meaningful and impactful self care impacts everything that you're doing and trying to create.You can feel the results almost immediately. Your energy is higher, your mind is clear. You’re more productive, efficient and creative in your thinking. And you start to let go more often of your stress, pressure, stuckness and resistance.
Yes, there are times for all of us when even the most basic self-care feels out of reach. Maybe it’s a super-busy time at work and you aren't finding the hours in the day. Perhaps you’ve convinced yourself that life will come screeching to a halt if you take a time out to meet your own needs. Maybe you’re not sure what those needs even are at this point.
This is when it matters most, friends.
Self care isn't optional. It's your foundation.
Over the years, I’ve created what I call the Nourish framework for energy management and self-care to help my clients find what works for them. Using evidence-based practices and clear steps, it’s effective and incredibly simple to implement. Anyone has time for it. It all breaks down to four pillars and a minimum effective dose.
Nourish: Four pillars that nourish you from the inside out
Each pillar is made up of many, many potential practices -- limited only by your own creativity. I’ve listed a few areas of focus below as examples to get you thinking about what you might include in your own.
Your mind
Thoughts and beliefs
Empowering narratives
Look for what’s right
Vision and focus
Listen deeply to yourself
Carve out space
Your body
Choose fuel
Energizing movement
Real rest
Conscious breathing
Body care
Eliminate old habits
Ongoing maintenance
Your spirit
Guiding principles
Inspiration
Self-compassion
Build courage
Cultivate positive emotions
Connection
Your environment
Visual cues
Boundary setting
Physical spaces
Conscious inputs
Backups and buffers
Alignment
Commit to a meaningful, do-able self care plan, not fluff.
In life coaching, I often use strategic plans to ground vision in reality. A vision sets out the big picture and the plan helps us take consistent steps to get there. That's true of life changes, career transitions and it's true when it comes to taking excellent care of yourself. A good plan guides you towards meaningful actions, avoids overwhelm and helps you stay focused and committed.When I work with clients to create their own self-care or energy management plans, I have them do the following:
Create natural balance. Many of us think of our self care in a single area (often, the body), but incorporating all four areas creates a stronger base. When you’ve fully integrated practices from all four pillars into your regular routine, then you can add more.
Establish a minimum effective dose. Micro-actions are incredibly powerful. Create new habits ore easily by leveraging small pockets of time, tiny wins and the smallest efforts that deliver a nourishing result. Instead of holding yourself to a new meditation practice, think about 10 minutes of breathing or quiet time.
Pay attention.What are you noticing when you’re making these micro changes? Which pillars feel the most natural to engage in and which are more challenging for you? What new ideas are you inspired to try? Make this plan uniquely yours by choosing practices that speak to you. It doesn’t matter what anyone else finds most nourishing—this is about listening to you on the deepest level.
Keep going. As you naturally manage your energy better and build a nourishing foundation, you’ll want to keep going. Spiral up by deepening your 4 practices, adding another 4 practices, or even add one or two pillars at a time, focusing on what would feel most nourishing to you.
If you’d like more help with this, get in touch! Or check out the Nourish book for specific practices and to create your plan.
