DOY BlogLovin' Tour:: Self-Care

"The Declaration of You will be published by North Light Craft Books this summer, with readers getting all the permission they've craved to step passionately into their lives, discover how they and their gifts are unique and uncover what they are meant to do! This post is part of The Declaration of You's BlogLovin' Tour, which I'm thrilled to participate in alongside over 100 other creative bloggers. Learn more -- and join us! -- by clicking here."

I thought I knew exactly what I was going to write about when this topic of 'self-care' came up for this BlogLovin' Tour. But . . . then I read Michelle's blog post on self-care. 

I realized that my thoughts about self-care were so very tiny. Like her, I thought about candle-lit bubble baths, painting my nails, reading a novel. 

And then her questions at the end of her post opened up a whole new perspective on self-care. She writes:

 "What does self-care inherently mean to you? What have you been missing? What is your body/mind/soul yearning for that you’re making excuses for?"

What have I been missing? What is my body/mind/soul yearning for that you're making excuses for? 

I never thought of self-care as incorporating my whole life like that. I thought it was a little pampering here and there to take a little time for yourself and be good to yourself.

I have been ignoring so many things that my body/mind/soul has been yearning for. Oh, and excuses . . . I've got them a mile high! 

Honestly, my mind feels boggled. I also feel a huge new perspective opening up for me and it makes me feel giddy with excitement and happiness. 

You mean, making time to paint is actually important for my self-care? Making time for creative writing isn't selfish and nonproductive just because I am doing it for fun? 

I have just been handed the very best, and really, for me, life-altering permission slip to live the life I dream to live and to make no excuses for it. 

This is my life. I get to live it on my terms. Self-care is important, much more so than I had thought! My mind needs it. My soul needs it. My body needs it. 

My work will be better for it. My family and friends will be better for it. If I am taking care of myself, it will flow out from me and touch everyone and everything in my life in a positive way.

This ties in so beautifully with a book I am reading, The Power by Rhonda Byrne (the author of The Secret). In it she says that what we give out, we receive back and that the power behind the Law of Attraction is love. 

If I am giving my body/mind/soul what it yearns for, this will bring me so much happiness and boundless feelings of love because I am doing things that I love. Thus, I will receive back more happiness and love from people and circumstances around me. 

Wow! What an amazing and super important lesson I learned today! 

I wonder what would happen if we all made self-care the main priority in our lives. What would happen if we gave our bodies, souls, and minds what it yearns for, which at the same time will make us happy. 

I imagine this world would be an entirely different place, filled with people who are truly happy, healthy, doing what they love, thus enabling them to give out more love to others. 

This is the world I want to live in, so this is the world that I intend to create for myself. 

Will you come along with me? 

I would love to hear your thoughts. Please comment below and let's get a juicy conversation rolling. :) 

xo ~ Kim