How do you pay attention to mindful self-care, even on that holiday weekend?!? (Oh, and BTW, this applies to more than just summer weekends!)
Summer holidays with family and friends! Lovely, warm (hopefully), and fun! Being from Canada, I can say most of us wait all year for the few wonderful weeks of summer to arrive and then try to pack in as much as we possibly can!
But how often, after a week or weekend, do you go back to “regular life” regretting that your pants feel tight or you’re feeling exhausted from lack of nutrition and sleep?
Sometimes it is all worth it – but if you’re like many of my friends and clients, weekends in the summer are often spent with friends, enjoying the company and the food and by the end of the summer it sometimes starts to feel too much!
Being mindful of healthy self-care can often get forgotten in the moment, leaving you wishing for something different.
Even though the heat of summer may be over, I know that some of you are still taking advantage of the late summer sun! So take a moment to consider how you want the rest of the “holidays” to go.
Here are a few tips I’ve found have worked for me and my clients:
- Make sure you have lots of healthy food choices around – it’s easy to buy the chips, popcorn and candy – but with the right intention, it is also easy to buy fruit, pre-cut and washed veggies and a healthy dip like hummus! And make sure that this is what goes out on the table first when hungry people are roaming around the kitchen. You’ll be amazed at the speed a veggie platter can disappear when that is the easy food option!
- Bring lots of a low sugar, alcohol free beverage (THAT YOU LIKE THE TASTE OF) along. Drinks like flavoured waters, soda water and even no added sugar caffeine free pop can keep you and others hydrated in between the other summer beverages (AKA wine, beer, etc.) You may find that simply by staying more hydrated you’ll have more energy for all the fun activities.
- Get away and move your body – especially when there are lots of people around, sometimes just heading out into nature for a walk or hike can really clear your head. You’ll be readier for the group activities when you’ve made the time for yourself.
- Go to bed already! – this doesn’t mean you have to go to bed at 9pm, but try to listen to your body when it tells you to sleep; maybe a short nap is all you need – you’ll be way happier tomorrow when you wake up for the day!
- Slap on the sunscreen – by the end of the summer, your skin will thank you for it!
Have a wonderful rest of your summer/early fall! I would love to hear how you found balance this past summer. Comment on the blog to share your best ideas!
To a sun-kissed, relaxed you!
Written by Maja Karlsson. See more at www.silverraincoaching.com/blog or www.majatkarlsson.com