🛑 STOP! You’ve arrived at an obligatory self checkpoint.

Set apart some free time this week to reflect and refuel with these exercises.

Apr 12, 2021

Have you checked in with yourself recently? Your to-do list is probably getting longer the closer you get to the end of this year’s Q1. As we enter a new season of fasting month too, many adjustments to work are probably having to be put in place.

Amidst the controlled chaos that is adulthood, let yourself always be the priority. If you’ve never considered self-care as a fuel to your productivity, this is your sign to start. On the other hand, if self-care is your forte, try out these exercises and incorporate them into your routines.

The physical AND emotional checklist

Oftentimes, people tend to focus on either physical OR emotional self-care. Some prefer to pamper themselves with at-home spa treatments or daily workouts, some others would rather have a night in to watch their favorite TV shows. The key in recharging and keeping your energy up is to keep the balance between both physical and emotional self-care. Ask yourself these questions to see if you’ve achieved that balance:

What’s taking up most of my headspace?
How do I feel about myself right now?
Do I feel emotionally safe?
How can I be more gentle with myself?

Another exercise is to name what you feel, and allow yourself to feel it. Learn more about how to implement these exercises through this simple Instagram carousel.

Self-prioritization through self-compassion

If you’re reading this, chances are you are already determined to be a better version of yourself. Now, most people who are eager to be better tend to self-criticize a lot due to their high self-awareness. Excessive self-criticism though, will lead to self-flagellation which is destructive and needs to be corrected with self-compassion. Don’t get it wrong, self-compassion does NOT equal to self-pity. It’s actually the practice of correcting the flow of your worst self-accusations.

Set apart 15 minutes from your morning or night routine this week to go through and internalize 6 mantras or steps of self-compassion by understanding that:

Step 1: The task was probably very hard.
Step 2: We weren’t properly equipped by our histories.
Step 3: Failure is not unique.
Step 4: Luck is real.
Step 5: Your whole worth is not dependent on external things.
Step 6: As cliché as it sounds, this too shall pass. It might not feel that way, because that’s just how a crisis feels.

Watch the 4-minute video on how to easily practice self-compassion at home here.

Have some cleanses from the inside out

An extension of self-compassion, there are a few cleanse routines you can try out especially when entering a new season. As the season shifts, so should we with the help of Body, Mind, Space, and Soul cleanses. Some prompts you can use to articulate your purpose for the upcoming season include:

This season, I am actively manifesting…
Things, ideas, and stories I’m ready to put out this season include…
What do I need to pick up or shift this season to be my most honest self?
What parts of me or stories within me are asking to be seen and known during this season?

These prompts may seem a bit abstract at first, but as you give time for your inner thoughts to be heard, you will find that this exercise is fundamental to your productivity and growth. Read more prompts and more about the cleanses here.

May you come out of the week more familiar with yourself and purpose, and enter the new season with a new, more fueling mindset!

Monday Mavens by Mekari

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