Messy Bun, But Getting Self-Care Done

The COVID-19 at-home trends are all about comfy and cozy. Moms and daughters alike are sporting messy buns on the daily. Working parents are dressed for work…from the waistline up for Zoom meetings. Pajamas are all the r

age for

this year’s back-to-school wear. A lot of these style trends earnestly come from an unmotivated, bare minimum stance in this season of at-home life. It is easy to fall even into the trap of sheer laziness and disregard. No matter what COVID-19 fashion style you are representing, here is something you cannot disregard or wait to do until later. The every day “must-happen” we all need is SELF-CARE.

Self-care does not have to involve a huge financial investment or missing days of yore when spas and salons were open for appointments. Self-

care can and should start simply and be an intentional fixture at-home. Here are a few self-care tips you can take today.

• Breathe – pretty easy since you unconsciously do this all the time. But take a moment and truly notice your breathing. Take 10 full breaths in through your nose and 10 full breaths pushed out through your mouth. For those with the ability to be mindful, envision the Holy Spirit filling you up as you breathe in. And then imagine the rough and tough stuff that weighs you down flowing outwards as you exhale.

• Motion – for an avid exerciser an intense hike or hour workout may be necessary. But for the majority of us we simply need to add any form of motion into our day. It may start as simply as going outside to your mailbox or taking a jaunt around the neighborhood. Dust off that bike or put in that old exercise DVD. Get your body in motion so the sedentary lifestyle does not take

over your mindset too.

• Focus – focus your eyes even on God. This could mean several intentional practices. Start and end your day in prayer. Start and end your day with quiet time Bible reading. Focus on one key Bible verse to guide you throughout your day. Pick one single word that you will live out to the best of your abilities. Keep your eyes focused on whatever God lays on your heart for the day. Do not lose sight of that no matter what the day throws at you.

• Fuel – it is easy to feed and fuel your kids throughout the days with 3-balanced meals and snacks galore. Somehow mom and dad often get missed in this preparatory process. But, for your energy fire to continue to burn brightly throughout the day, you have to keep throwing fuel on your own fire. It is exactly what they say on an airplane, you have to put your oxygen mask on first be

fore you help others. So stop forgetting to eat or skipping meals in the busyness. Fuel your fire so you have enough energy to burn all day long.

• Connection – don’t let a day go by without some form of adult connection. Check-in with your spouse beyond responsibility talk. Really check-in with how each of you are doing mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Talk with a friend. Set-up a quick “coffee date” even if it is virtually from the comfort of your own kitchens. Sit out on your driveway and catch up with a neighbor. We a

ll need a reprieve from all the parent-child talk to keep us grounded and connected to others.

Nothing too revolutionary, hopefully, BUT each of these areas can and do so easily fall to the wayside in the midst of parenting and working and more. Just remember that one of the best ways you can win as a parent is to be your best self. Caring for your kids starts with caring for yourself today.