Day 30 of the 30-Day Self Care ChallengeSet Yourself UP for Success – the next 30 days

For the next 30 days, – yes, you can retake the challenge. Only now, don’t’ think of it as a challenge – you’ve already conquered that. Now it’s about maintaining the great feeling each and every day.

Gift yourself the 10 minutes a day to dedicate to this.

Mark it in your calendar as a MUST, no negotiating, no matter what. Set it up as a reminder on your phone, Google calendar, whatever it takes.

You deserve it.

And remember – it is not selfish. It is necessary.

To your health, wealth, and happiness.

Most sincerely,

Taru

Copyright 2019 Taru Nieminen

 

 

Day 29 of the 30-Day Self Care ChallengeStart a New Book – Here’s a List If You’re Looking for Good Reads

• Big Magic (author of Eat, Pray, Love) by Elizabeth Gilbert
• The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
• You are a Badass by Jen Sincero
• Seven Steps to Inner Power: How to Break Through to Awesome: Life Secrets From a Martial Arts Master by Tae Yun Kim, Great Grandmaster
• The Meaning of Happiness by Alan Watts
• Luminous Life by Jacob Israel Liberman
• The Happiness Track by Emma Seppälä
• Resilient: How to Grow and Unshakable Core of Calm, Strength, and Happiness by Rick Hanson
• Atomic Habits by James Clear
• The Universe Has Your Back by Gabrielle Bernstein
• The Obstacles in the Way by Ryan Holiday

I’ve read most of these, others are on my list for this year. 🙂 I’ve accepted a challenge to read 200 books this year! I need to speed it up. I’m only at 13 and it’s already March!

copyright 2019 Taru Nieminen

Day 28 of the 30-Day Self Care ChallengeStop, Drop, and GO – Walk, Run, Yoga, Exercise

Just do it. 10 minutes or more. Exercising releases endorphins and gives your body and mind a break from the work you’re doing.

Copyright 2019 Taru Nieminen

Day 27 of the 30-Day Self Care Challenge

Seek out Quiet

Sounds pretty scary, huh? Perhaps you’ll enjoy an entire day without sound. Also sounds (haha, pun intended!) pretty impossible. But this is about noise in particular. Noise is everywhere.

Much of our energy is unconsciously involved in filtering out noises we don’t want to hear. On top of those noises, we often layer ones we do want to hear; radio, tv, music, conversation.

All that noise can bar us from a direct connection to the present moment. Plus, all this external noise tends to feed the incessant chatter within our mind.

Therefore, there is no better tonic for our haggled and distracted lives than the periodic invocation of silence.

Choose a day or time when you don’t have to work and when you can count on the support of those around you. Designate this day or time as one of complete silence. This means no uttering a single word from the time you awaken until the time you go to sleep. If this sounds too far-fetched, try just an hour or two.

In addition, make it a point not to turn on or use any non-essential noise-making devices. Left with the sounds of nature and a bit of white noise, let this day be a Sabbath of sorts, reintroducing you to your quieter, more essential self. (Adapted from How Now by Raphael Cushnir)

Copyright 2019 Taru Nieminen

Day 26 of the 30-Day Self Care Challenge

No, you don’t need to get rid of all your books, papers, and clothes. But you could take just a few minutes to declutter just one area of your desk, house, closet, or drawer.

Hmmm. How is that even possible? Surely, you know we are creatives, and with that, most of the time, comes a messy desk, drawers brimming with stuff, cork or whiteboard filled with notes and reminders, books, papers, notebooks, and pens everywhere…

Hence, the title reads: ONE area.

Take just one and 10-15 minutes (set a timer, if needed) and just do it.

You may be inspired to do more, to keep going, clean out that closet of clothes you haven’t worn in a year (or ones that no longer fit), or re-organize your desk to be a shrine for your writing.

Ok, if you’re really organized, good for you and super happy that you have it together on that front. You can still organize that filing cabinet or rearrange one part of your desk to be more productive. Maybe your spices aren’t alphabetized… There’s always room for improvement. 😉

Copyright 2019 Taru Nieminen

Day 25 of the 30-Day Self Care ChallengeCreate positive vibes about YOU

Love your body – take a mindfulness test to scan your body – and create the body you want.

But truly – it’s not how you look.

Really.

It’s how you act and how your treat others, and how they see you.

What?

I thought this was about ME! Not how everyone else sees me!

Let me explain.

When speaking of body image – and specifically the image we have of ourselves… I was reminded of this (just in time for this to be written) when I had lunch with a good friend, Lisa.

We are always happy to see each other, and most often than not, we have a very good lunch… and we eat way more than we really need.

I think we’ve accustomed ourselves to the fact that this is what we do when we get together. It might even seem really weird if we met at the gym to work out together… we’ve met for walks, but those happened either before or after the lunch.

Anyway, during this particular lunch, we of course talk about our weight, the struggles, the way we feel, the way we look.

When I told Lisa I feel great, although I had just weighed myself that morning (I only do this when I think I’ve lost a few pounds because I’ve really been trying to be good about what I’ve eaten…) just to find out I hadn’t lost even a half a pound!

Lisa mentioned how she thought I looked great, and that I must not weigh more than 110 pounds [Thanks, Lisa- I LOVE you! ;)], Then she said, maybe 120 max. as I almost laughed right at her! Again, I love you, LISA! 🙂

This really brought it home for me. The way we feel – great, positive mindset, life going in the right direction (or at least not in the wrong one…) – and just overall, that life is good, must show on the outside.

Because I weigh more than 110. Or even 120. A LOT MORE!

But for her to see that, she must be looking at me differently.

Or see something different.

Nevertheless, it can be frustrating when you KNOW you should lead a healthier lifestyle and then, as you’re still thinking this… you reach for the candy bar, brownie, cookie, whatever your vice. And “life” just keeps getting in the way.

So, yeah, that’s why you’re doing this 30-day challenge! 😉

So, be good to your body today, to your mind, and take care to think of how you see your body. Love your entire body, your being, your every nook and cranny. Create positive thoughts about you, your body, and your image.

Copyright 2019 Taru Nieminen