Lifestyle

4 Ways to Practice Self-Care in 2018

This post is sponsored by SILKS® hosiery with LYCRA® FREEF!T™ technology. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

A beautiful new year is here, and while resolutions come and go for many of us, I’ve found that it’s much more sustainable to simply create a focus or theme for the year ahead rather than specific targeted goals. This way, I’m continually working along with the theme rather than “attaining” or “failing” at a specific goal.

One theme for 2018 is self-care. “Self-care” is a term we hear often, but what are the steps we can take to embrace self-care as mothers, daughters and wives while ensuring that everyone around us is taken care of, too? It might sound like a challenge, but it’s completely possible to balance both when you take small, focused steps to self-care. Here are 4 I’m trying in 2018:

Eat Healthily and Mindfully
It’s not about a strict diet or eating plan, but rather about ensuring that you’re paying attention to what you’re eating and giving yourself the time to do so. Put down the phone, turn off the TV, and give yourself some time to eat and nourish your body. Indulge in new recipes, be creative, take pride in what you make. Need some ideas? Here’s a recipe for Lettuce Wraps that’s always popular on my blog this time of year!

Keep a Gratitude Journal
It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate, even a note pad beside your bed is handy to simply take a moment to write down the things you feel fortunate to have. Make it a nightly habit to put your brain to bed with a thought of gratitude. It can be anything from the fresh clean sheets you have to a friend you cherish.

Date Yourself
I love this idea. We all know how, when we look good we feel good, right? Give yourself permission to put on a dress and go out for lunch just because you want to! Try a new make-up product, put on a favourite dress, hosiery and heels and celebrate the fact that you are wonderful you! Working from home, I don’t do this often enough. I’ve said before that giving up the heels, traffic, and office politics to become a mom, embrace yoga pants, slippers and working from home is the best decision I ever made. Still, a girl wants to pretty-it-up from time to time without giving up comfort. I’ve found the solution!

One of my favorite pretty-it-up staples are my classic, refined style of SILKS® hosiery with LYCRA® FREEF!T™ technology that make my legs look beautiful. Plus, the waistband digs in less and leaves fewer red marks at the end of a long day.

You know that feeling, right? When the waistband of your hosiery digs in and leaves a lovely red mark on your waist? Or when it rolls down and bunches up, leaving a visible line on your svelte frame. Not anymore! It’s no wonder SILKS® hosiery is the #1 Canadian department store hosiery brand – they understand that looking good and feeling good should go hand in hand. Er, or go leg in leg? Putting on your favourite dress and adding a little gloss can do wonders for my confidence, especially in the dreary winter months. Having hosiery that makes me look this good definitely adds to that confidence!

Shop SILKS® hosiery featuring LYCRA® FREEF!T™ technology online, or pick up a pair at one of your favourite Canadian retailers.

Get Your Heart Pumping

We all know that exercise is good for you but the challenge is finding something that you actually like to do, because hating every minute on the treadmill isn’t worth it. Who wants to spend 30 to 60 minutes a day miserable? Not me! Try out a new class or activity (there will be a ton of promotions happening in January, take advantage of them) and discover something new that’s good for your heart, and soul.

What about you? What are you going to do in 2018 to promote your own self-care?

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  • I used to dress up , do my hair and make up every weekend even though hubby and I were just staying at home. It made me feel beautiful and confident. I have to start getting into that routine again

  • Self care is so important for one spirit! SILKS® hosiery with LYCRA® FREEF!T™ technology sound amazing!

  • I neglected self care a few years back but it has improved a lot since then, definitely crucial. You can’t care for someone else if you aren’t well yourself.

  • I have to say that I have a lot of work to do in all areas of self-care. Neglecting yourself makes it harder for you to sustain your care of others whuch is what I have been realizing over the past few weeks.

  • For me in the past I have used a type of gratitude journal. Finding things to be thankful/grateful for even the hard things can change one’s perspective.

  • ‘Date Yourself” is such a great concept because the more you take care of yourself, the better you’re going to feel

  • Self-care is so important…One thing I am going to try to do in 2018 is keep a more positive attitude and mind, and not let things stress me out…it’s just not worth it!

  • I could defiitely stand to start dolling myself up more. It’s incredible how much better I feel when I take the time to do it.

  • I like the idea of a gratitude journal – it sounds like a great way to keep grounded when you are going through a rough patch

  • I have started back walking and getting on my treadmill for my self-care. I am eating more popcorn for my nightly snacking instead unhealthy choices.

  • i have got to start taking better care of myself as i did when i was younger,,the oldler you get the harder it gets

  • I have a lot of self-care goals for 2018. I want to get back to starting my day with prayer, journalling and scripture reading. I’m also planning on heading back to the gym next week and hoping I can get back to a regular workout schedule. And I want to finish designing my blog and launch it. And of course I have diet related goals too. Lol

  • I’ve never had much time for self-care, with seven little ones it’s practically impossible. Now they are all adults and I’m on my own and have the time to do whatever I want to, which in itself gives me pleasure.

  • I most certainly need to get my heart pumping more this year. Last year I slipped a little in the fitness department.

  • I’ve been wearing pants to work for the last few years. I don’t know how long it’s been since I’ve put on a dress or skirt. I’ll have to go shopping soon for a dress, and I’ll make sure to check out the SILKS hose too.

  • Great tips for self care. I was at a point where I did not enjoy cooking and found it easier to just make a sandwich or a salad or totally skip a meal. I decided to treat myself to a meal subscription service where the food is delivered to your door with all you need for the meal and you just have to cook it. It was the best decision. The dishes were balanced and so full of flavour and took me out of the rut I was in back to enjoying cooking.

  • Thank you for the tips and love how inspiring you sound. My goals for 2018 are to get out more and socialize. I tend to lock myself inside especially during the winter and then I realize how much I miss my friends. I know I am a home body but I do love when I go out so much so I have to stop procrastinating about it..

  • I like the idea of the gratitude journal. I’ve read that makes a difference in personal happiness levels. Also, I’d like to make time for myself and have a bath or yoga class every so often!

  • I love the “dating yourself” idea! Self-care is so important, and I find that doing even little simple things can make a big difference.

  • Definitely something I need to focus on this year. 2017 was a very rough year for us and I was drained by the end of it. 2018 I need to focus more on self-care and being happy.

  • I wish I had more reasons to wear heels. It feels silly to wear them for a grocery run… and impractical, but it also makes me feel younger and lighter somehow.

  • In terms of self-care, one of my goals is to stretch more. 10 minutes at the end of the day to just unwind and stretch out my muscles.

  • Self-care is so important. I’ve been trying to get my nails done more often and have been going for weekly massages. It helps relieve my tension and stress.

  • The gratitude journal is a nice idea. Have you read one thousand reasons by Ann Voskamp? It takes that and expounds on it. I didn’t agree with the whole book, but it’s definitely worth reading and thinking about.

  • I definitely need to eat mindfully more this year, but have recently discovered running for my self care. I get exercise, but also get to physically run away from everything for a short time!

  • I love these tips. Eating healthy and taking the time to do that is something I definitely do for myself now.