There are two statements that fly around willy nilly and I feel like maybe we need a little more clarity on what they actually mean. Self-care, and filling your own cup. These statements have become regularly used in the holistic health community, which is GREAT unless you are simply stating them and not actually following through.
Self- care is not all bubble baths, and wine. Self-care is when you do what you need to do to support yourself in the moment and that can be ANYTHING to anyone. So if that means taking a full on pajama day binging Netflix and doing absolutely nothing, awesome. If for you that means, exercise or a new routine to get centered, fabulous! Booking yourself in for a massage/facial/energy healing session/halotherapy/mani/pedi whatever! GREAT! Just make the time to do it, and that's the kicker isn't it? Making time to put yourself first. It's an easy excuse "I don't have time", but you had an hour to screw around playing that Dragon game on your phone this morning, didn't you? (Guilty LOL) We make time for what we feel is a priority. Is your mental health, emotional health, spiritual health, physical health a priority? What can you do for yourself today that will help you to recharge? To fill your cup? Each of us has a center in the body called the solar plexus chakra. It's the energy center that is in charge of our personal power, our joy, our energy source. When we deplete ourselves by putting others first all the time, or not taking time to recharge our bodies and allowing stress to take over, that cup begins to run dry. When that cup starts to run dry, you feel less happy, less energetic, stressed out, have gut issues and more wanting to curl up in the fetal position and hide out under the bed for a few days. So what can you do for yourself that will fill your cup and support you in your most vulnerable moments? Self-care. Here's a little practice that you can do. 5 minutes is all it takes, but longer if you "don't have time".
Sitting comfortably with your hands resting in your lap. Close your eyes, taking nice deep belly breaths and slowly sighing them out. Tune in to your inner sun. A beautiful golden yellow light that sits just below your sternum. As you focus on that light, see if you can imagine your cup. It can be a goblet, or a tea cup with a saucer, let your imagination show you what it looks like. Now see yourself pouring that beautiful golden light into your cup, right to the very top until it starts to overflow over the edge. Let it. Let it spill over the edge like a champagne waterfall. Washing joy and ease into your vessel. When you feel like your cup is full, take a nice soothing breath and go about your day.
Serve from the overflow. If you give directly from your cup, it will empty again. Put yourself first. You deserve it. You are worthy of it. You are loved.