Today’s post contains a writing prompt from our Journaling Within book: =&0=& =&1=& =&2=& =&3=& =&4=& =&5=& It can be an entire room devoted to journaling, reading, and going within. It can be a small table that you put some of your favorite mementos on. It can be a comfy chair that invites you to slow down and take time to relax. It can be a walk in nature where you smell the fresh air and take in all of the beauty. It can be your bookshelf that is filled with books that are meaningful to you. It can be a vision board that encompasses all of your dreams and goals. =&6=& =&7=& =&8=& =&9=&

In a recent post, I talked about the fact that Dan and I were about to get a Vitamix.  Well… I’m so happy to let you know that we bought it yesterday and have already used it several times! Eating healthier has been on my to-do list for a long time.  One misconception many of us have about eating a cruelty-free diet is thinking that it must be healthy. It’s just not true though (which I learned firsthand).  Many years ago, Dan and I were eating all of the processed soy-based meat substitutes for basically every meal. And what happened is that the soy actually caused our thyroids to stop producing enough hormones and we became hypothyroid because of it. Scary stuff for sure. We have now been soy-free for 2.5 years and are feeling much better. (It took several months before we started feeling normal again.) Vegetarians and vegans can be just as unhealthy as meat eaters. If your diet consists mainly of processed foods, tons of sugar, and chemicals and dyes, chances are you aren’t going to feel that great in the long run.  I am not a big salad or raw food person, but I know how many nutrients are packed in raw, green food. This is where the Vitamix comes in. By hiding these healthy ingredients in a smoothie, I’m much more likely to eat it! I’m going to keep a daily log of what I make in the Vitamix here.  Please feel free to comment there and also leave your favorite recipes (if you are also a juice and smoothie lover).  =&0=& They are much more likely to stick if you are having fun and enjoying yourself. And this will lead to long-term health and a lifetime of feeling great! What are some fun things you can do to feel healthier?  Could you add something nutritious to your diet? What about exercise?  Is there a fun activity that you would like to do (such as tennis or dancing) that wouldn’t feel like exercise but would still get you moving?  Think about it today and see if you can start with small changes at first. Remember that the small changes will add up to big changes, and you’ll be feeling healthier before you know it!  Here’s to our health! 🙂 P.S. – Be sure to answer this week’s poll in the top right section! It’s all about relaxing and recharging!

=&0=& Thank you so much to everyone who responded!  It’s so great to see that most of you are taking some time each day to put yourself back on the priority list. I really think that self care is the key component to a happy life, and so I thought it would be fun to see what everyone’s definition of self care was. We are all so unique and we all live varied lives. And this means that our definitions will all be different. If you are a new mom, self care might mean taking a nap while your baby sleeps. If you are a busy mom with older children, self care might mean practicing deep breathing while waiting in the car pool lane.  If you are a business owner, self care might mean delegating tasks so that you can ease your own workload.  How do you define self care in your own life?

• Does it mean taking time for yourself, which could include relaxing and rejuvenating?
• Does it mean listening to your inner voice and setting boundaries with others when needed?
• Does it mean taking care of your body by eating nutritional foods, resting when you are tired, and remembering to take deep, full breaths? 
• Does it mean taking a hard look at your schedule and realizing that you simply must eliminate certain tasks because you are in fact only one person and it’s just not humanly possible to get it all done?
• Does it mean waking up an hour earlier so you are guaranteed to have a peaceful morning?
• Does it mean saying no when you don’t want to do something but would normally have said yes because are a people pleaser?
• Does it mean taking time to go within and really getting to know yourself?
• Does it mean scheduling appointments that you have been putting off, running errands that are on your mind, and checking things off your “to do” list so you can have a more peaceful, quiet life?
• Does it mean taking a day off each week where you only do what you want to do?

As you can see, there are so many ways that we can define self care and what it means for each of us.  =&2=& I set aside every morning for myself.  I schedule this time into my calendar, and it isn’t negotiable. I write. I go within. I drift through my morning in a calm way and a slow pace.  It’s my time to do with as I wish. I take one day off of work per week.  Until recently, this wasn’t a given in my life. Working from home tends to blur the boundaries between what is work and what isn’t work. And while I’m still setting the boundaries to make them more clear, I do take one day off to read, hang out, and just be Jodi – not the owner of This Is It! Creations. I eat food that nourishes me. Fresh, healthy food that makes me feel energized and alive. I focus on what I love and say goodbye to the rest.  =&3=& So often I hear people say that they just don’t have time for self care. That they are simply too busy and how could they possibly add something else to their schedule?=&4=&