In the chaos of life, it's easy to feel overwhelmed, stressed, and disconnected. If you're feeling this way, feeling like you're barely keeping your head above water, I want you to know that you're not alone.
Balancing work, family, and personal growth can be incredibly challenging, leaving little time for yourself amidst the chaos. We know that self-care isn't selfish—it's necessary for your well-being, but it can be hard to take that time. I want to encourage you to not only take that time, but to choose self-care routines that are life-giving and not just a place to sulk or hide. Let these practices release you on the other side a little stronger.
Today, I want to share some inspiration from Courtney (that's her in the image above!) that I hope will encourage you to take some time for yourself.
Courtney recently shared her self-care journey with me, and I was so inspired that I knew I had to pass it on to you. Like many of us, Courtney had fallen out of her self-care routines as life got busier. But she decided to take back control by incorporating 20-minute candles into her routine.
She has always practiced meditation, mindfulness, and journaling as part of her self-care practice, but she had recently fallen off the wagon a bit as life got in the way. Courtney chose to use 20-minute candles to get her back on track, and the results were incredible.
When lighting her first candle, Courtney said,
"I'm going to focus on my journaling, mapping out my next week, and into my devotional. So excited to use these if not every day, at least once or twice a week. These candles are a little reminder to stay centered, grounded, and just kinda put some time away for myself."
What a beautiful focus, right?
If you, like Courtney, have fallen out of your self-care routines, I want to challenge you to take the time to schedule it back in. If not today, then at least twice this week. Guard that time and make it special.
Seriously, I want you to do this.
Right now, take a moment to decide when you're going to prioritize yourself this week.
What day?
What time?
Put it in your calendar.
Remember how it felt when your self-care practices were consistent in your life? How are you feeling now? It's time to reclaim that peace and clarity.
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Taking inspiration from Courtney, I've put together a simple guide for you:
20 Minute Reset:
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Journaling
- Reflect on the small moments that brought you joy or made you smile.
- Identify one thing you did well today and how you can build on it tomorrow.
- Determine your top three priorities for tomorrow and create a plan to accomplish them.
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Weekly Planning
- Set your goals for the week.
- Prioritize tasks that will help you achieve those goals.
- Write them into your weekly schedule.
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Quiet Time
- Spend the remaining time doing a devotional, reading the Bible, or simply listening to your breath.
I know life can get overwhelming, but remember, you deserve to take care of yourself too. Let those moments in your day bring you a little more peace and clarity. 🕯️