We’ve all read quotes like selfcare isn’t selfish and fill your cup!
But just reading something like this and hopping onto Instagram “wellness” trends doesn’t really cut it.
We’ve got soo many different roles we play in life and we forget the most important one, that role is “me”
While to try to balance out all our roles it’s important to carve out it time to nurture yourself.
We need to dive deeper into what Selfcare really means.
Of course a lovely bubble bath or a spa day is amazing to pamper yourself, but that doesn’t even scratch the surface of self care.
Selfcare to me goes beyond face masks and hot cups of green tea.
It’s about looking after yourself as a whole, firstly prioritising your health! Because if you don’t have health, what do you really have?
Selfcare Sundays are days to schedule regularly where you look after every aspect of you and celebrate and pamper every aspect of you.
Something for you body, something for your mind and something for your soul!
It’s about scheduling a day that’s all about taking care of yourself.
Once a month, I have a date with me!
I do something for myself, that nurtures me in all aspects of my health.
Health really is a broad term but it’s actually got soo many different aspects to it.
I like to break the word “health” down into different aspects because they’re all interconnected and affect you!
Firstly physical
making sure you’re eating wholesome nutritious food, getting your fibre in.
Making healthy choices.
Choosing a form of exercise you enjoy! Whether it’s a calming yoga class, an energising CrossFit class or hitting the gym. Find something that works for you. Exercise is really the best form of self care!
Rest – take time out to rest, give your body the r and r it needs to power through life.
Mental health is a cornerstone of a healthy robust person.
Journaling is a great tool to unpack your mind.
Do things to keep your happy hormones flowing.
Get the therapy if you need it! Do things that nourish your brain.
I’ve often found that spending time outdoors greatly helps the brain.
Spiritually
Do things that inspire you, set goals.
A calming sound bath or a quiet moment of prayer helps energise you and gives you a sense of purpose.
I like to schedule this in my monthly calender. Like I schedule appointments for my patients or if I was going to a doctor. It’s sacred and I don’t let other things get in the way of that day.
Once a month is Selfcare Sunday!
It’s about looking after who I am and celebrating that!
We’re all juggling soo many roles that we forget to truely take care of ourselves while we excel in work, taking care of our families and do literally everything other than looking after ourselves.
And the wake up call only arises when we have a health condition!
As a doctor and a coach I recommend this to all my patients as well, it’s one of the best things you can start doing for yourself.
Preventive is the way of the future. Why wake up after a disease has come?
Why not be proactive, take care of ourselves and not let it happen in the first place?
Think of it like a monthly date with you! What do you like to do? What brings you joy? What’s needed for a healthy, fit you?
Here’s what my ideal self care Sunday looks like, but feel free to change this up, make it your own and do what brings you joy!
I start the day with a glass of lemon water, some mindfulness and journaling.
Listening to the birds outside.
A pampering skincare routine is always good!
I stretch, hydrate and listen to some music while making a gorgeous wholesome brekkie.
The day is usually a date with myself. I go to a bookstore, a hike or a long swim. Something that brings me joy. It can be different things.
I then go out to a vegan cafe for a gorgeous lunch.
I hit the gym for an hr , usually Selfcare day is leg day because it’s my favorite workout!
Recovery post workout is soo essential to reduce DOMS and soreness and so I head to the steam room after.
I go home, it’s movie night and I cozy up with a nice quinoa bowl and a warm cuppa!
I always track my meals, my workouts and my steps. That to me is the cornerstone of selfcare.
I want to make sure I’m an 80 year old whose fit, who can run, who has no diseases and lives a long healthy and happy life!
I want to be able to travel even when I’m old, to work, to exercise!
I want people to know me as that hot, and extremely fit granny 
(if you know me, you know I like to shock the hell out of people)
But jokes apart, it’s about making sure my decisions and habits today align with that vision I have for my future self. It’s all about taking the right steps today that’ll craft my health in the future.
And selfcare sundays is one of the perfect tools for this.
Gone are the times when we keep doing for everyone else but forget who we are.
Taking care of yourself helps you show up in all your other roles soo much more effectively.
So what’s stopping you from planning your own selfcare sunday?
It’s a fun personal day for yourself so make it fun, do things you enjoy while still honouring your health!
Make it fun and make it yours!
Authored By Dr. Prarthana Shah,a health coach. She specialises in preventative CVD medicine and an Integrative Health Coach