I preach self-care a lot to my clients, my friends and family, and to myself. I strive to practice what I preach so this month I have decided to take on a 1 Month Self-Care Challenge to show others what self-care looks like in the life of a therapist.

I have noted the things in bold that I notice I tell my clients to do but do not do often enough myself. It was so freeing to do these things and I'd highly recommend them!

Week 1:

Coffee on the balcony with sunshine
Bubble bath with a book
Walked instead of taking the subway
Cooked and made leftovers
Let go of an argument that was bothering me
Gave myself a compliment
Put down my phone in the evening

What I Learned: At this point in the challenge, I was balancing between doing the things I already do and putting more intention into little things that I could do slightly different to have a bigger impact.

Week 2:

Didn't look at social media when I woke up
Made time for client notes instead of putting it off
Planted new herbs on the garden
Coffee on the balcony (I do this almost daily, but some days are more intentional than others)
Began getting in the habit of watering plants
Said "no" to something that felt draining
Went to a high intensity yoga class

What I Learned: This week was following our test run of (Re)treat Yourself: NYC. Part of our program is addressing barriers to self-care and committing to giving up one thing that is holding you back. I began looking at social media less when I first woke up and have felt exponential benefits already!

Week 3:

Went to a doctor's appointment and allowed them to (unexpectedly) take blood instead of coming back (because I never would have come back!)
Reached out to a friend for a phone call
Read something educational and informative (instead of my typical thriller novels)
Watched something mindless after a long day
Went for a hike!
Had a talk that I'd rather have put off
Cooked some indulgent comfort food

What I learned: Week 3 I noticed a pattern of avoidance (something I know about myself but have to be aware of) and addressed it with gentleness and self-love.

Week 4:

Went to dinner with friends and stayed present
Meditated before session outdoors
Had a beer at lunch (on my off day)
Actively chose to read a book instead of watching more TV
Continued a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction CE class (self guided)
Bought a plant that made me happy
Said 'no' to work on my weekend

There you have it! A few days in the life of a self-care advocate practicing what she preaches. I'd love to hear what YOUR self-care routine looks like as a helping professional.

If you need to revamp your self-care routine & are located in NYC, check out (Re)treat Yourself: NYC , a self-care mini retreat that I'm cohosting this summer!