When you hear “self-care essentials,” you may think I will share my favourite robe or bath bomb with you… While I love a bubble bath as much as the next gal, today, I want to speak a bit deeper about the essential self-care and mindset practices I live and breathe as a mindset and life coach for creatives.
1. My Journaling Practice
I’ve been steadily journaling for the past several years and have noticed a sincere increase in mental clarity and a reduction in anxiety as a result. As someone who’s lived with general anxiety most of my life, journaling gives me space to work through disruptive thoughts + feelings and move away from them before identifying with them. As a spiritual soul, I also believe journaling is a fantastic tool for manifestation. As a creative soul, journaling helps me reduce mental clutter and focus on what I want to create.
Resources to Support Your Journaling Journey:
2. The Art of Mirror Work
Mirror work is simply looking directly at yourself in the mirror and speaking to yourself with loving confidence and kindness. This will feel a bit funny at first, but it’s one of the ways you can cultivate deep, sustaining self-love and trust over time.
Practice in small ways, like when you’re washing your hands or brushing your teeth in the restroom; use that time to look deeply into your eyes in the mirror and confidently build yourself up with affirmative confidence. Even something as simple as “I got you” can go a long way to remind yourself just how strong, capable, and resilient you are.
3. Kind Self Talk
Hand in hand with mirror work, intentionally bringing awareness to how I speak to myself has been eye-opening – and taking the time to reconsider how I want to speak to myself has been transformational. Start to build awareness over how you speak to yourself + make a constructive effort to speak to yourself as you would your best friend – if you wouldn’t say what you’re saying to them, why are you saying it to yourself?
4. Positive Mantras & Affirmations
When you feel deeply aligned with the direction of a positive affirmation or mantra, it can be a very powerful tool for rewiring limiting beliefs, cultivating new resilient mindsets, and more. What’s essential with affirmations is taking the time to create one that is personal to you and where you want to go. That said, if you need some inspiration on where to start, check out some of the suggestions below.
Mantras & Affirmations Resources:
- Mantras for a Growth Mindset
- Mantras To Transform Your Life
- Mindset Mantras for Creative Entrepreneurs
- Affirmations To Transform Your Life
- Confidence-Boosting Affirmations
5. Connection to My Inner Child
Almost everyone I know has a piece of their inner child who carries some wounds and needs tending and nourishing. Why? Your inner child is the part of you connected to your creativity and joy. It’s a part of you we don’t want to feel hurt or banished, and we want this part of us to feel safe to express ourselves!
A great way to create emotional safety with this part of yourself is to make space to play or do things that naturally make your inner child feel seen and delighted.
Ways to Play With Your Inner Child:
- Go on a walk and collect a few items like leaves that speak to you and make a piece of art with them
- Write a short story
- Play a game you loved as a kid
- Re-read your favourite fun book
- Colour or paint just for fun
- Take up a new sport or activity
- Invite your friends to a potluck at your favourite park
6. Meditating
Being able to quiet your mind and know that you are being cared for is one of the ultimate acts of surrender and one of the most straightforward pathways through anxiety. Though I sometimes struggle with the classic forms of meditation, I find active walking meditations or more highly visual meditations extremely effective for me and creating a resilient mindset.
7. Embracing my Human Design
Embracing my human design has created such ease and flow in my life and has given me invaluable self-knowledge, such as my early warning signs of misalignment or burnout.
Human Design Resources:
- What is Human Design?
- Free Guide: Uncovering Your Magic with Human Design
- Human Design for Creative Entrepreneurs
- How Human Design Improves Your Life + Relationships
- The Human Design Types:
8. Free Space & Time
I always make sure that I include some free “whitespace” time on my calendar to do my own studying, resting or creative work, which allows me to give my best to my work and my clients while deeply supporting my self-care.
Cultivate Your Resilient Mindset & Practice Deep Self Care…
With this free digital journal filled with 70+ guided journaling prompts to support you!
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