Self-love During Quarantine
“You have 5 emotional minutes a day, then you have to be a bada**.”
Mobility on the lake | pic credit: momma
So I’m here to tell you that right now, it is okay to not be okay. But I’ll also tell you, it is not okay to live there. It’s okay to not understand what is going on around you. But it’s not okay to let that frustration steal from your emotional energy. We’re humans, feelings are real. But you can’t let feelings rule your life. They will destroy you.
During this time of physical separation, it is more important than ever to know how to help our self-love muscle. Here are some key things to do every day to keep your self-love radiating high!
1. Get up early & have a morning routine!
Having a morning routine is the perfect way to start each day with intention and self-love, even if you can’t leave your house. Waking up at the same time every day is great for your sleep cycle and will minimize fatigue. A morning routine should include a glass of water, brushing your teeth, washing your face, eating breakfast, making a to-do list for the day (simple and achievable), spending time in your Bible (if that applies to your faith journey), and for me, enjoying my coffee in my favorite mug. Having the morning routine has helped me stay focused on what I have going on for the day to produce the best content for my clients (and keep a good attitude for quarantine with mom).
2. Do 2-3 productive things per day!
Whether you’re working from home, homeschooling the kiddos, or home alone with nothing to do, I want you to celebrate your productivity. I don’t want you watching The Office all the way through for the 80th time (you know who you are). I want you to celebrate that you can still be productive with work (and have your paycheck, big blessing!). Also, I want you to celebrate your kiddos learning. I want you to keep up with the laundry and the dishes, clean out that closet that you haven’t touched in 10 years or go rake some leaves (or shovel snow – as I’m writing this, the weather report is saying I’m getting snow overnight!). When your project is done, you will feel so good! My friend has a 6-year-old daughter, and we FaceTime multiple times a week doing flashcards, reading books, and doing math homework. Celebrate your productivity, even if you just vacuumed and took a shower, you did good!
3. Move your body!
Gyms are still closed. And for those of you who have home gyms, you better be using them. I don’t have access to a gym right now, and I am struggling to find the motivation to work out more than I care to admit. But I’m still finding ways to move. I have been walking, stretching, and doing mini circuits with 20# dumbbells. Right now, I am not allowing myself to be upset that I can’t do my regular program. But I am going to celebrate that I can increase my flexibility and mobility and that I can get outside for 1-2 hour walks. Your goal right now shouldn’t be to lose weight or put on muscle. Your goal should be to move daily. That’s it. Just move. 
4. Drink half your body weight in ounces of water
Then add some more!
6. Eat nutritiously dense foods!
For people who don’t know what I mean, eat the rainbow. Add color to everything – salads, chili’s, chicken & veggies, breakfast options, etc! I am making sure that I have a smoothie and a big a** salad on workdays! My favorite smoothie is strawberry banana with OJ. My salads have been consisting of romaine, black beans, chicken (pulled chicken or sautéed quickly on the stove), hard-boiled egg, avocado, roasted red peppers, and cucumber. For my salad dressing, I use olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and black pepper! For dinners, mom and I have made chili’s, chicken with asparagus/other green veggies, burrito bowls, honey lemon chicken with broccoli (recipe coming soon), and so much more!
7. Do something for yourself!
Girls, do a face mask, paint your nails, shave your dang legs (enough of the laziness already!), read a book (or 5). Set up a tripod and take a bunch of cool pictures. Learn how to do a handstand. Guys, this isn’t another “no shave November.” But please don’t try to edge up/line up your own hairline! You can do a face mask too (ask some of my 716 guys lol) – plenty of my good guy friends have better skincare routines than I do! Read a book. Play video games (for a little while). Both guys and gals, please read your Bible.
Make these 6 things happen daily Monday through Friday! I promise you that this self-love will start making you feel way better about yourself, your mindset, and your confidence!
I wish I had a happier opening message for you. Also, I wish I could tell you how I know everything will play out and that everything will go back to the way it was before. What have you learned from this? Have you spent time alone with your thoughts to develop your spirit man? Will you go back into this world a better person?
