Self-Care is so incredibly important. Back in the ‘burbs, I would take care of myself with monthly deep tissue massages. Yes, it can get pricey to get regular massages, but I would go to the local community college and let their massage students use me to practice their massage skills. Not every massage was what I wanted, but a massage is better than no massage. I also helped these students get their hours, and I was not shy to let them know that they needed to change their technique, add more pressure, or work on a different area. Unfortunately, there is not a local college or massage school nearby, and the spas in the area are quite pricey, so my regular massages have gone the way of the dodo since moving to the country.

Yoga has become my new self-care routine. There is a local yogi who offers beach yoga at the lake every other weekend. Now, I have never done yoga before, but I did Pilates back in high school (17 years ago? Man, I’m old!), so I had an idea of what to expect. 5 minutes into that first class, and I was hooked. Sitting on my mat on the beach, feeling the sand, hearing the wind and birds and water, I felt a peace wash over me that I had been trying to find for years.

I could not wait for the next class two weeks later, and I showed up with a smile on my face, and a greater appreciation for my self-care. Since then, I’ve missed a class, but I downloaded a free Yoga app on my Kindle, and have done a few short sessions when Little Man has napped. It’s not the same as when I’m on the beach and the sun is rising, but it gets the job done.

What do you do for self care? Let me know in the comments!