With the Labor Day Long Weekend ahead, it’s time to take care of you! Whether you are still working, or enjoying your retirement, we know our community is full of people who do so much to take care of others and make the world a better place. But you can’t fill someone else’s cup if yours is empty, so we wanted to share some ideas that we know work for us, and our members to recharge. Don’t worry, self care doesn’t have to be spend-y in terms of money or time, so all of these suggestions are fast and free:
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With cooler temperatures coming in Southern California this weekend, enjoy some time in nature. Take a walk or a hike, lounge in the pool or at the beach, sit outside with a good book, or do some gardening.
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Do a 5-10 minute deep breathing or meditation practice. Keep it simple and sit comfortably in a quiet location, and focus on your belling rising on inhale and falling on exhale. You can silently repeat “belly rise, belly fall” as you breathe if it helps you stay focused.
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Take a moment to journal if you enjoy writing. You can list as many things as you can think of that fill you with joy or gratitude. You can use this extra downtime to connect with some new things you want to welcome in to your life right now. Or just let yourself brainstorm and see what happens.
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Give yourself additional time for hobbies that you enjoy. If there are things you like to do that always seem to fall to the bottom of your priority list, send them up to the top this weekend.
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Nourish yourself with plenty of water, and foods that make you feel good. Maybe you want to try a new recipe, or prep some foods to help you get ahead on your week to come. Summertime is such a perfect opportunity for seasonal foods grilled fresh on the BBQ, and keeping it simple is always tasty!
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Take some extra time for gentle movements or strategies that help your body recover from training. Do some stretching or a mobility practice, take an epsom salt bath, or do some bonus self-massage with your therapy balls.
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Indulge in some daydreaming. Sometimes the best way to take care of yourself is to allow yourself to just be, instead of always having to do.
However you spend the long weekend, we hope you feel rejuvenated and connected to all the wonderful things that make you who you are!
Your Breakthrough Team