Treating Yourself to a Little Self-Care This Year

With the new year, we are usually motivated to do better, feel better and be better. Does it last all year? Sometimes it does. It is a good time to look at our daily lives and see what we can do to make each day better. How we can make a difference, how we can improve health and happiness for ourselves and our loved ones? Whether you have a large family or live alone, there are things we can do this new year to achieve our goals and make them last all year long.

Cleaning up, clearing out and starting fresh can apply to both material things like in our homes, but it can also have a broader meaning. Here are a few thoughts I have to share.

1. Count Your Blessings

Take stock of what is important to you. Take five minutes each morning to review what you are thankful for and spend time appreciating those things. We all have something to be thankful for and often get too busy to recognize those things. Your day will be less stressful when you take the opportunity to look at the bigger picture.

2. Let Go

If there are things that are bringing you down that you cannot change, let them go. Let go of past failures. Maybe you didn’t lose the weight last year, or get the dream job or paint the house. Whatever it is, you can’t change the past, so let it go and move forward with renewed resolve.

3. Don’t Set Your Resolutions Too High

If you are a “New Year’s Resolution” type of person, make sure that you set attainable goals. Little tiny steps that you achieve will do much good for your esteem. It will motivate you to move forward. Expecting too much and not achieving will have the opposite result.

4. Clean Up

Deciding to clear out the “stuff” and clean up for the new year often has long-lasting emotional and health benefits. It feels so good to get rid of the things you don’t need and that are creating clutter in your life. Do a closet at a time, a section of the garage or one dresser at a time. Have a garage sale or donate items you no longer need. Do a deep clean or hire a professional to help with the big stuff like windows, carpets, ovens, blinds, baseboards. What a great feeling!

5. Commit to Better Well-Being

Decide what would make you feel better this year. Maybe eat a little healthier, walk a little more, take up a hobby or sport, dance a little, sing out loud (even if you’re tone deaf) and do what you can to get enough sleep. Make a conscientious effort this year to improve your well-being.

6. Learn to Treat Yourself

You deserve to allow yourself some luxuries. In our industry, we find that at a certain point in life, many people – who have worked very hard for many years – finally come to the realization that they deserve some help with things like the cleaning of their home. Hire someone to do the things you don’t like to do. Maybe schedule a massage or just allow yourself some downtime.

7. Serve Others

This is such an important concept. Small acts of kindness will lighten your own burdens and lift others. What a way to start the new year. QCBN

By Lucy Leyva

Lucy Leyva is the owner of Prescott Maid to Order.