Welcome to part two of my 30 Days to a Better You Challenge. (You can find part one here.)
This is not a 30-day self-improvement program. It’s not 30 days of guilt or motivational hype.
It’s a collection of small choices and simple actions to help you know yourself, love yourself, nurture yourself, and pursue your calling.
Each day I offer one simple thought and one small step to help you move forward.
Week Two Focus—Be Kind to Yourself
When life gets busy it’s easy to neglect our own needs. Skipping lunch, exercise or me-time seems like the simplest way to get more done. On top of that, many of us feel guilty for spending time, energy, or money on ourselves instead of others.
Neglecting self-care may seem virtuous, but in fact it sabotages your ability to function at your best. When you neglect to care for yourself, everyone suffers, because allowing yourself to get worn out leads to burnout, stress, health issues, lower self-esteem, decreased productivity, and other problems.
The solution?
Take time to nurture your body, soul and spirit.
The goal of Week Two is to practice activities that will nurture your body, soul, and spirit, so you are healthy, energized, and eager to help others.
An empty lantern provides no light. Self-care is the fuel that allows your light to shine brightly.
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Week Two Mantras — Be Kind
Change is never easy. Here are some helpful phrases you can repeat to yourself when you get discouraged or need a boost of motivation.
- I deserve as much care and compassion as anyone else.
- I serve others best when I am whole.
- I will respect the limits of my body, mind, and emotions.
- I matter. I am allowed to say, “No” to others and “Yes” to myself.
30 Days to a Better You Challenge, Week Two
Day 8: Show yourself respect. You are as worthy of respect as any other human. Unfortunately, we humans tend to be harder on ourselves than on anyone else. We are quick to spot our faults and tend to ignore all the times we do well.
Today’s step: Notice when you do something well/right/kind/creative. Give yourself a compliment and then take a moment to soak in the feelings of satisfaction, pride, and joy for doing a good job.
Day 9: Make one healthy choice. You know where you struggle. Give yourself one victory today in the never-ending fight to eat right, exercise right, and get enough sleep.
Today’s step: Make one healthy choice, and then act on it. Pack a healthy lunch. Set the timer so you get to bed on time. Resist the siren call of the mid-afternoon donut. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Even if you’ve already messed up, skip the guilt, move past it, and succeed in one small healthy way today.
Day 10: Pay attention to simple pleasures. Happiness is not some elusive state that requires enlightenment, hard work, and a propitious alignment of the planets. Happiness comes from paying attention to Now and choosing to find the joy in simple, everyday things.
Today’s step: Pay attention to what you are doing and what you see around you. Notice the flavor of your morning coffee. Notice the beauty of the sky, flowers, or a well-designed building. Notice the feel of your favorite blouse or the soft fur or your pet. Savor the good feelings that come from enjoying simple things today.
Day 11: Start the day right. Take a few minutes to settle a positive mindset before you rush into your day. Begin with gratitude by noticing several things you are grateful for. It doesn’t matter how small and insignificant they are, so long as they are sincere. Next, remind yourself of some key truths that will help you face the day with confidence.
Today’s step: Find five things to be grateful about today. The more specific, the better. Next, speak a few key truths to remind you of your worth and help you counteract the inner critic that tries to bring you down. Speak them out loud. If you aren’t sure what to say, you can use the mantras above or a Bible verse such as Psalm 139:14 or Philippians 4:13.
Day 12: Accept your limits. Life happens. Part of nurturing yourself is accepting the realities of your life, including physical limitations, age, energy level, etc. You might not like them, but fighting realities we cannot change only leads to frustration, guilt, and low self-esteem. Plus, denying your limitations may lead to serious health problems if you push your body too far for too long.
Today’s step: Instead of beating yourself up for being lazy, slow, or stupid, admit your limits, forgive yourself for your weaknesses, and plan accordingly. Instead of hating your limits, accept them and find ways to adapt and cope.
Day 13: Stand up for your preference. Do you naturally acquiesce to other’s desires instead of your own? Do you seek to always make others happy and ignore your own needs or wishes? Kindness and generosity towards others is good, but so is standing up for yourself.
Today’s step: Make one choice that is good and enjoyable for You. Even if it won’t please others. Even if others disagree with your choice. Even if it might earn you raised eyebrows or cynical remarks.
Day 14: Schedule me-time. In order to function at your best you need to give your body, soul, and spirit time to rest, restore and regroup. How do you de-stress? How do you fill your inner energy tank? What helps you relax? Yoga? Bike riding? A soak in the tub? Reading? Painting?
Today’s step: Schedule time today to do something that will soothe and energize you. AND THEN ACTUALLY DO IT. No excuses. No guilt. Accept the time gratefully and enjoy it to the fullest.
Day 15: Do something kind for your body. A day at the spa may be outside your budget, but you can afford to do something enjoyable that will benefit your body. What can you do today that will make you feel good? Do the stretches you’ve been forgetting to do. Try out a yoga class. Redo your nails, indulge in a pedicure, or get a massage.
Today’s step: Do something today that is good and enjoyable for your body. It could be as small as wearing your favorite scented lotion or taking your lunch break outside in the fresh air and sunshine.
Do you have trouble being kind to yourself? What’s your favorite self-care tip? Let me know in the comments.
Want a cheat sheet? Get a one-page summary of the 30-Day Challenge here.
