There are about 32184742 self-care tips out there. Honestly, there are probably way more than that. Real self-care doesn’t need to be another item on your checklist, though. It's not really about the thing. About what you do. It should be about HOW you approach all those other things.

“Document the moments you feel most in love with yourself—what you’re wearing, who you’re around, what you’re doing. Recreate and repeat.” — Warsan Shire

… I’d take this one step further and say to document those moments you feel most in love with life.

The topic of self-care is floating around all over the place these days. I think that’s a wonderful thing, but, like anything, the practices that are meant to fill us up sometimes feel like another chore on a never-ending to-do list. And that’s kind of counterintuitive.

Real self-care isn’t about putting more on our plate. It could very well be that we need to take some things off of our plate.

“If you get tired learn to rest, not to quit.” ― Banksy

Real Self-Care: Learning to Rest, Falling in Love, Filling Your Heart (Not Your Plate)

Perhaps the first step to understanding what real self-care looks like for you is to pause and wonder what you could take off your plate.

Nobody else knows what your soul needs, how your body really feels, what thoughts are swirling around in your head. Taking care of yourself is most powerful when you take the reigns. This is your life. You must be the one to live it.

Things you might consider letting go for spaciousness inside:

• Doing so much work without ample time to enjoy what you’ve done.
• Drinking alcohol or coffee (or so much of it).
• Following such high expectations that you’ve set for yourself that might not still apply.
• Feeling like you need to please everyone.
• Feeling like you need to have a spotless house when what you really need to do is go outside and breathe.

Of course, those are just some of my own thoughts on real self-care that fills me without filling my life with more to-dos (I have enough of those, thank you very much). Ponder the ways in which you’re living now that feel heavy. Meditate on how you could feel lighter.

The most fulfilling journey is the one where you return to yourself.

Tell me:

What’s something you could take OFF your plate so you could feel freer?

Tell me in the comments. I read every single one, and I'd love to know! 

Here’s to lighter.

With love,

Jen

P.S. Clear away distraction so you can get to the heart of what you want your life to feel like. Get my book Sleep Rituals for 100 at-home practices that are all about you. And the life you really want.