Wednesday 7/7 September 18

9. Take care of yourself by getting organized.

Getting organized is often the first step to becoming a healthier you, because it allows you to figure out exactly what you need to do to take better care of yourself. A small change, like keeping a planner or a calendar on the fridge, can help you write down all your responsibilities and appointments, while at the same time keeping your life a bit more organized. You can also create an area to keep keys, purses, backpacks, briefcases, and coats, and make sure they’re ready to go for the next day.

10. Cook at home to care for yourself.

Many people don’t take the time to make themselves meals, preferring instead to stop for fast food or popping a pre-made meal in the microwave. But these "fast" meals aren’t usually sufficient when it comes to feeding your body the right kinds of calories and nutrients. Even if it’s only once a week, consider making a healthy meal for yourself or your whole family. You could even look into a meal delivery service or meal kit that can help you get started.

11. Read a book on self-care for self-care.

In today’s fast-paced world, we tend to turn to our phones for entertainment or comfort, scrolling through news feeds that can contribute to our stress and anxiety rather than helping it. Instead, consider bringing a book with you when you leave the house. Even better, bring books on self-care, so that you can learn more about how to take care of yourself while you are taking care of yourself. You might be amazed at the difference it can make when you slow down instead of always looking at your phone. Not only can it help improve your mood, but it can also help you to stay more present and mindful.

12. Schedule your self-care time, and guard that time with everything you have.

It can be hard for us all to find extra time. But it’s extremely important to plan regular self-care time. Moments alone can help you to ponder the best ways to move forward in your life and keep you grounded. And moments with friends can help you feel more connected and relaxed.

9. Organized - I do feel like I'm organized. I'm a list maker, planner and calendar kind of person. Still prefer paper - it just seems to make more sense to me to see events over the whole month. Just how my brain works, I guess. I have places for important things, file system for paper, etc. 
On the other hand, my crafting area is organized in that I can find what I need, know where things are, but probably wouldn't make as much sense to others.

10. Cook at home - Yes, I do this.

11.  Read a book about self care - I can't remember if I've read a book specifically about self care. (I think reading anything is self-care for me! I like to read) 

12.  Schedule - This ties into the previous hint about saying no and also with being organized. I realize I (especially now) have plenty of time to devote to self care. 

Thank you Rene, for leading this week.

1. Clutter: I have come to realize that I really need less junk in my life. I feel much better when I don't have a lot of clutter around me. It is the time of year to de-clutter my closets & make a trip to the donation site.

2. I cook at home 90% (or more) of the time. We might eat out once every couple of weeks.

3. Don't know if I've ever read a self-care book, maybe I will look one up on Kindle.

4. I do keep a calendar on the side of the fridge & write down dr appts, etc. Over all, I am not very organized at all.

Rene, thanks for a great week.