10 extreme self care practices

by Stacie Ysidro

I’m often asked what is part of my extreme health care regimen. Each person needs to define what their top needs are for themselves. I’m happy to share some of the things that I do to stay sane in a chaotic world, experience peace and fulfillment in my day-to-day life. happiness is a choice

1. I know that I’m the type of person that needs to get at least 6 hours of sleep preferably 8 to 10. Every night it’s not possible to get as much sleep as I want.I try to make sure that I don’t go more than a day or two without my minimum. If I haven’t been getting enough sleep I will often plan to take naps during the day and scheduled myself extra time to sleep in on my days off. I limit the use of Technology the hours before I’m going to bed I also turn down the brightness on any technology that I may be using. I turn ringer is off and remove technology from my sleeping space.

2. I’m the type of person that needs to physically exert a certain amount of energy a day, otherwise I feel restless, I don’t sleep as well and my body hurts. I prioritize my gym time. There are seven days in a week I choose to get there 5. Most people do well with three to 4 days of activity such as the gym. I definitely recommend getting at least 20 minutes of brisk walking in 5 days a week.

3. You are what you eat. Most people have a challenging relationship with food. Many people are emotional eaters. They eat what, they want when they feel like it and choose food according to how they feel. For me being an emotional not eater I choose to stick to my meal plan. Everybody is on a diet of something even if it consists of fast food and soda that’s your diet. I prefer to see food as fuel for your body and as preventive Health Care. My diet consist of lean proteins vegetables and carbs such as sweet potatoes brown rice quinoa and Oates. I tend to not eat carbs after 6. The amount of my cards depends on where I’m at as far as training for a show. Taking the emotion out of food has been the greatest thing that I’ve learned through bodybuilding. Having a plan, cooking my meals in advance takes away the stress and time of trying to figure out what to eat and when to eat it

4. I create strong limits for myself around work and technology. I will not answer emails before a certain time of the morning or after a certain time in the evening. I try not to answer emails on the weekend or my days off, depending on when those fall. I do not keep every email attached to my phone. I turn off all notifications so I’m not constantly bombarded with social media and emails.

5. Working for myself I get to plan my schedule for the most part. I try to plan work stuff within the same days and make sure that I have at least a day or two off within 7 days. I aim to limit the amount of driving I do,especially driving during high traffic times.

6. I make sure to plan time for myself that I am scheduled to not do anything. That way I can choose how I want to spend that time spontaneously, knowing that I have no other responsibilities to attend to. Even if it’s just for a couple of hours here and there.

7. I start my day reading something inspirational, personal growth and development and or journaling. I set aside at least 5 to 10 minutes to meditate and reflect on what I have read or at least think about the things that I am grateful for. This is my time to come into my body and connect with Divine spirit and my higher power.  I asked to be guided and directed throughout the day for the greater good of all parties involved.

8. I usually do not take appointments phone calls at the last minute. I try to plan my schedule in advance. I found that when I try to squeeze things in at the last minute I am less focused, conscious, present and productive. Trying to squeeze things in at the last minute increases the amount of stress that I experience.

9. I aim to reach out to family and friends over the phone to check in with them and see how life is going. I volunteer and participate in  activities outside of work family and the gym that I find for filling.Sometimes Spirit speaks through other people.

10. As a cosmetologist I enjoy getting my hair done, doing hair, makeup, nails and the visiting the spa. I schedule my hair appointments in advance. I make time for my beauty regimen. I found that when I feel confident about the way that I look, my energy comes through more positively and confidently. I do these things for myself, not for what other people’s standards or opinions may be.

There are times in our lives when we need to adjust what are priorities and make time for extreme self care. We may need to put some things into practice and see what works for us. We make changes according to what is for filling to us for where we’re at in our lives.

When we prioritize our mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health, the rest of life will fall into place.