I’m taking a little extra time today for self care.

This morning that looked like a hot cup of coffee, a small piece of homemade baklava (all in moderation!) and a new book by Chrissy Metz, all about self-love, digging deep & chasing your dreams.

Tonight that self-care meant taking my dog on a long walk and enjoying the fresh air and the pure joy on his little doggy face as he sprinted through open fields.

I’ve been trying to prioritize moments like these lately.

I have a tendency to be pretty hard on myself (recovering perfectionists, I know you feel me on this one!) and to be completely honest, this week has been a struggle.

I’ve been working hard. Really hard. I’ve been enjoying myself because I love the work I do and I want to continue to improve and grow. However, as I’ve been working my little rear end off, I’ve also been noticing I’ve been seeking approval of others instead of myself.

I’ve been looking for approval of my work, of the content I put out every day, of what I’m saying and doing. I’ve been hit hard when the response I get is lackluster, or not quite what I was hoping to hear.

Which isn’t right.

I’m proud of my work. I try my best to put the best vibes I can out into this world. I spend hours creating things that I think are pretty darn cool. This week I’ve been re-learning and re-reminding myself that it’s okay to own that, and also let that be enough.

We’re all a work in progress, after all.

I’m doing my best to fully embrace that sentiment right now. I’m also reminding myself that I don’t have to hustle so darn hard to prove my self-worth, because… well, it’s already there, isn’t it?

With that in mind I wanted to take a second to share my 5 go-to self care practices (all of which I’m doing like crazy this week):

1. Take in the moment. Focus on joy & the seemingly small but also incredibly beautiful moments in life. This feels hard to do when you’re busy, stressed or feeling down, but in those moments it’s even more important!
2. Meditate. If you don’t meditate yet, I highly encourage it! Download Simple Habit, Headspace or check out a few Bexlife YouTube meditations (her meditation on self-forgiveness this week really hit home for me).
3. Create a gratitude practice & journal. Get your thoughts and feelings down on paper. List 3 things your grateful for. These practices have been a very important part of my life, because it helps me sort out all sorts of emotions and puts me in a better mood.
4. Pamper yourself. This is what most people consider “self-care.” Taking a hot bath, drinking some tea, putting on the coziest of pjs.
5. Put down work to enjoy life. This means spending quality time with friends and family versus choosing to check one more thing off my to do list. It means taking in the moment (see #1). And finally, it means learning to find balance because that’s important, too.

Self-care isn’t just for the days that are easy breezy. I’m learning it’s even more important to take time on the tough days to practice self-love and do what’s right for your overall health & happiness.

Sending a big hug your way today, friends! You’ve got this!