Self Care Girl Likes...

“I shall need to sleep three weeks on end to get rested from the rest I've had” - Thomas Mann

Self Care Girl Likes......WEEKENDS!

First,  I was thinking of how much I love sleeping in on the weekend....but then I remembered,  I really like to get up early sometimes on a weekend morning-before everyone else is up- and just enjoy my cup of coffee and quiet morning solitude.

The real truth is that I love my weekends.   Especially the lazy ones...when the sun is shining...and the possibilities of the day are endless.   (Today is going to be one of those days!)

Weekends- those fabulous little breaks from work we get to devote just to resting and having fun- are just good Self Care!

I hope you will take the time to enjoy one soon!

Take Good Care!

Love and Marriage

Love one another and you will be happy.  It's as simple and as difficult as that.  ~Michael Leunig

Watching the Royal Wedding has put me in a romantic mood.    I am a huge fan of happy marriage and completely enamored of the idea of fairy tale love and commitment and happily ever after.   

Love and marriage –as I know it – is both simple and difficult; effortless and exasperating.   The real truth about marriage is that it doesn’t work unless both people are committed to putting in the effort to make it work.    

This requires respect and patience and a willingness to adjust and adapt.    After almost 10 years of marriage, Mr Self Care and I hire out most of our home improvements now; I feign to keep my mouth shut when my Knight in Shining Armor drives 5 below the speed limit and a line of cars are impatiently creeping along behind us; I ask for space and forgiveness during that one day each month when, hormonally, I just cannot be nice.    

Comfortable routines develop too- I cook, he washes dishes…I wash clothes, he irons them…we go grocery shopping together on Sunday mornings…on Friday nights we snuggle on the couch and watch movies…

I have been fortunate to discover that a good marriage is a respite.   No matter how crazy, stressful and unbearable the real world is on the outside- knowing that I can come inside my home and experience peace, encouragement, love and comfort from my own prince charming makes it all bearable.   

When you are in love and happily married, you want others to experience the same.    The realities of the Royal union are much more complex- I know-but, I am really hoping that Wills and Kate do live happily ever after.     

Self Care Girl Stress Survival Guide

Slow down and everything you are chasing will come around and catch you.  ~John De Paola

April is Stress Awareness month (and I have been so busy, I almost missed it!)

Here is the Self Care Girl Quick Guide to Stress Identification & Reduction:

5 Signs You Might Be Stressed:

1)      You are short on patience

2)      You are forgetful

3)      You have a headache and/or  your body is tense

4)      You are neglecting basic needs: sleep, eating, companionship,

5)      You keep making mistakes

5 Ways to Combat Stress:

1)      Take a break immediately and regularly- even just a few minutes of deep breathing and stretching (and breathing some more) will help. The best time to take a break is when you least feel you have time for one!)

2)      Ensure your basic needs are being met- eat more healthy, go to bed earlier, surround yourself with supportive and helpful people (Ask for and accept help!)

3)      Walk.   This is the best way I know of to sort things out and regain perspective

4)      Write.   Sometimes keeping too much information in your head can increase your stress level.   Make lists- remove those items that are low priority

5)      Let go of what you cannot control.   Yes, this is easier said than done, but it does get easier with practice.  Ultimately you have to trust in God or the Universe on some things.   Ask yourself “what is the worst that can happen” then ask “in 100 years will anyone care?”

Honestly, some stress can be very motivating and good for us, but if the stress in your life is causing you misery it is probably NOT the good kind!   No matter what circumstances are invading your life, your health and well-being must come first.  

Take Good Care!

Different Is A Good Thing!

One who walks in another's tracks leaves no footprints.  ~Proverb

One secret to success I learned in business school is to look at what is currently offered in the marketplace and then improve upon it.   

We were told to emphasize our product strengths and to focus on what makes our product or service different.     

I was thinking of this concept today from a “personal” perspective.    The same principle holds true for individuals.    What makes us interesting and attractive and successful is not in how we are alike, but in how we are different.   

Keeping up with the images we see on television and the appearances of prosperous lifestyles that we may perceive around us can have a negative impact on our feelings of well-being.     

Ultimately, it is not the attainment of material things that will make us happy in our lives.   What brings us the most fulfillment is the quality of the relationships we have with others and –I believe even more important- the quality of the relationship and acceptance we give to ourselves!

These are some of the ways I am different:

1. I haven’t paid a cable bill in over 15 years.   (I am okay with this!)
2. I hate politics  (I am neither democrat, republican, liberal, progressive nor conservative…or maybe I am a little of each…not too sure, but also not too concerned)
3. I am committed to becoming debt free and retiring at the age of 50.
4. I love to do NOTHING sometimes.   In fact I can do NOTHING for long periods of time and be okay with it.
5. I have 1, 5 and 10 year plans- I am very goal oriented. (And patient too!)
6. I am not afraid to try new things…I am not afraid of change (unless it involves a permanent loss of someone I love- I am afraid of that)
7. I will try any food once…twice if I like it.   (There aren’t many foods that I don’t like)
8. I am not a fan of big public events.   I would rather stay home than have to deal with navigating through traffic and big crowds.
9. I believe in continuous education...never stop learning and becoming.
10.  I prefer to spend my money on experiences over things.   For this reason, I drive an older car and need new furniture in my home…but I am well-traveled.

I encourage you to take an inventory and celebrate your differences too!

Take Good Care!

Self Care Girl's 5 Rules For Life

“A few strong instincts and a few plain rules suffice us” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

1) Take care of your body. The 3 most important things your body needs are Exercise, Healthy Food and Sleep. Your body was made for moving - so move it. Your body doesn’t know what to do with most of the ingredients that are added to our over-processed food supply- it prefers wholesome, healthy food. Eat organic and unprocessed as much as possible. Get a full night’s sleep – aim for 8 hours.


2) Never stop learning new things. Keep your brain in continuous training. Learn how to do something new, or how to do something old better. Read! Do crossword puzzles. Challenge yourself to see the world from different perspectives.

3) Express Yourself. Communicate what you feel and what you need. Most people do not possess the psychic ability to know when they have hurt you or when they have made your day- be sure to tell them! Most people do possess the desire and the ability to help out if you need them. Ask for help when you need it! Employ the serenity prayer often. (Change what you can, Let go, let God & handle what you can’t change)

4) Love. Romance your spouse. Play with your children. Gather your girlfriends often. Surround yourself with positive, happy, inspiring people and be that positive, happy, inspiring person that others need in their lives.

5) Dream BIG! Imagine the possibilities. Determine the steps to get there. Set Goals and take the first step. Do it YOUR way!  Do not let anyone tell you that something is impossible or silly. Show them they are wrong by making it happen.

That's NOT Food!

Chemicals, n:  Noxious substances from which modern foods are made.  ~Author Unknown

The more I am eating healthy, the more I am aware of  (and oversensitive to) the amount of unhealthy food that people eat in our country. 

Mr Self Care and I were walking around a local park on Saturday evening.   The weather was beautiful.   A couple of little league games were wrapping up and several families were taking advantage of the warmer temperature to picnic in the park.  

The concessions stand was open and all around us kids were dining on sugar and hot dogs.   We saw no less than 3 parents sitting with McDonald's meals.   One family sat at a picnic table with two little kids dining on Dairy Queen.   Another family had 2 Little Cesaer's boxes and several bottles of cola.

I am conscious of the fact that these are busy times.   With both parents working and doing their best to raise healthy, active kids, I know that sometimes the convenience of fast food is appealing.   The problem is that it is not food....and families are not dining on these meals just "sometimes".

I was listening to a lecture recently about sugar toxicity.  The professor stated that our Western Diet is a popular one.   It is appealing because it is portable, has a long shelf life, and - due to the large quantities of fat and sugar- it tastes good too.      Consequently, the Western Diet is proving detrimental to other countries that adopt our toxic diet.   There is a strong correlation between eating the American Way- high fat, high sugar, low nutrient, huge portions- and a the rise of obesity rates, diabetes and heart disease in countries that have traditionally eaten what was available to them culturally and locally.

The purpose of my post is not to instill guilt or to chastise.  I am always happy to see families spending time together in the park!   I just want to raise some awareness about what we put into our bodies.   We need healthy food to be healthy.

Making small dietary changes- instead of huge sweeping ones- can be a step in the right direction.   I encourage you to start today with these important changes:

1. Love yourself.   This is the first step to doing right by yourself!
2. Be mindful about what you are eating and feeding your family.   Simple awareness can lead to better choices.
3. Make just one improvement at a time.   This week (or month) get in the habit of adding a piece of fruit to your diet.   Next week (or month) cut out sugar.  

Since I have started eating healthier, I have lost weight, I have more energy, I sleep better at night, my blood pressure is down and I just feel better overall!   I really want you to experience feeling this good too!  

Take Good Care!

Self Care Girl is Away from Her Computer Today...

...because she had to make a cheesecake for Easter....and hunt for some eggs. 

We are having a quiet day today with a very "lite" but festive Easter meal.   I found this Lemon Verbena Cheese Cake recipe with only 188 kcalories a slice - thought it sounded perfect

I have attached a link to the recipe  (although I wish I could share a slice with you!)

Lemon Verbena Cheesecake

I hope your Easter is filled with lots of fun and family time!

Take Good Care!