The Power of 3 - The Self care Holy Trinity

You're probably wondering where I'm coming from with this and may be wondering what the power of three is. Well it's my holy trinity of Mind, Body and Spirit that when working together and in balance make us unstoppable.  But what needs to happen for this to take place?

Well it all comes down to looking after ourselves and making ourselves a priority, not just occasionally but regularly.  It's normal for many of us to have a tendency to focus on one or two of the three more than the others, especially when it's easier, takes less time and attention. For example if you're someone who likes to look after your spirit by reading regularly, perhaps to unwind and/or pick up your mood and spirit,  it's probably easier to pick up a book than to think about being mindful, meditating or getting a quick workout in. This normal. We might focus on getting fit or making that mani/pedi a regular event but might let other things slip.    This normal.  Whatever the cause, it happens but the question is, what can you do about it?

​1. Be Aware
Be aware of your preferred element of self care, do you like to nurture your mind, body or spirit more.  Does one come more easily to you, is nurturing one more convenient?  If you're not sure which, here are some example self care habits according to the different elements

Mind 
Journaling
Reading for relaxation
Hobbies
Taking breaks​

Body 
Exercise
Healthy eating
Physical pampering (manicures, pedicures, spa treatments)
Getting enough sleep

Spirit 
Prayer
Meditation
Acts of Kindness
Mindfulness
Reading (if it lifts your spirits)
 
2. Switch it Up 
If you do find yourself automatically leaning towards a particular activity, keep doing what you're doing but work on improving or introducing or doing another of the elements more often. For example, an avid reader might want to also focus on another of the areas above.  Better yet, challenge yourself to maintain at least one activity from each group during the week.

3. Make it a Habit
It's all well and good being aware of what needs to change and trying to do something different but to make sure you maintain it, find a way of making a habit.  Commit to at least 10 minutes of your chosen activity a day.  Set a reminder on your phone if you're likely to forget or wear something that will be a constant reminder, different bracelets are a great idea and as you can switch your bracelet to the other hand as you do each activity.  

Be sure to include the activity/activities every week that you enjoy the most to really feel the benefits.  If you're struggling to keep maintain, find an accountability partner, someone who'll check in with you to remind and encourage you as the week progresses.  It all starts with making the decision to make yourself the priority and it's even better to go with friends!

4. Enjoy
Don't forget to enjoy the ride, looking after you shouldn't be a chore, keep it fun and light hearted and that way you're more likely to stick to your plans.

So are you willing to maintain the holy trinity of self care?  I hope so.  If you have time set aside an hour a week for each of these at least.  It may feel like a lot to begin with but keep going you'll get there.

P.S.  If you were wondering why our sessions are three hours, the answer is the holy trinity, we like to give you an hour to spend on each, that is if that's how you'd like to spend your Me Time.