Actually, this post is kinda a reminder to myself! As a small business owner, it’s easy to forget about yourself and your personal needs when you’re trying to fulfill every demand of your business. Self-care becomes a thing you have to add to your to-do list and schedule in, especially when talking about your body and emotions.

In this post, I’m sharing the things that work best for me on those days when I need to give myself a little extra kindness. I’m so excited to share them with you! Especially for those of you who have a desire to add a little bit of grace to your busy and overwhelming days.

Listen to a good podcast or read a book:

This year I’ve added the habit of listening to meaningful podcasts in the morning. I was craving something positive and refreshing, but couldn’t find anything. Until one day I stumbled upon Lara Casey and her podcast Cultivate. Lara’s podcast has been so refreshing for me that within just a few of her episodes, I’ve already started to make changes in my day to day routine. I’m also love reading books. Right now I’m reading “Anxious for nothing” by Max Lucado. This is the perfect title for a girl living in an anxious world…a girl like me. My point with all of the above is that as a business owner you have to create moments to nurture yourself and your spirit so that you can live a life with purpose.

Forgive yourself

You know those areas of your life where you’re hard on yourself? I know you know what I’m talking about. The truth is that all that hardness doesn’t actually solve anything. When you’re facing failure, the most productive thing to do is focus on the positives within the situation, and use them in your favor to learn and grow. Our failures can make us stronger, smarter, and more resilient, but we have to choose to see the good in the hard times. This is one of those simple concepts that takes practice, and then some more practice, but is so worth it in the end. Forgiving yourself is the first step you have to take so that you can concentrate your mind not on your faults, but on the blessings in disguise that a “negative” situation can bring into your life.

Schedule time for you

Maybe you need to do exercise, get your manicure, take a trip, or simply take a break to be with your family. You know best all those things that fill your tank up so that you actually perform better in the long run. Don’t think twice and schedule in some tank-filling downtime! Whether weekly or monthly, YOU time should be one of the most important parts of your to-do list.

Write down your accomplishments

This is one of my favorites. Grab a pen and paper and take the time to write down the things you have accomplished over the last year, month, or even the last week! You may realize that you are in fact moving forward, even if you can’t see it clearly day to day.  I used to concentrate my mind on the things I hadn’t achieved yet, but writing down my accomplishments has brought me a deep sense of gratitude and satisfaction in the long run.

Don’t compare yourself

It’s so true that making comparisons with others takes away all the joy in doing anything!  So please, knock it off. It doesn’t make sense, right? You’re unique, special, and you have your own magic that no one else has. So let your light and magic shine for yourself and for your loved ones around you. By the way, the people who matter the most can already see everything unique you have to offer!

Don’t quit doing the things you enjoy most

Be kind to yourself and say no to the things you don’t enjoy and allow space for the things you love the most. For instance, I was about to drop a yoga class I was taking with Helena (my baby girl) to have more time to finish up a work project; however, I felt it was too much to sacrifice as spending that time with her was so important for me and my well being. So I decided to keep going to the yoga class. At the end of the day, nobody gets hurt in the process, not my job, blog, or clients. But Helena and I have so much to gain!

This too shall pass

This is a good one to remember when you’re having a hard day! Allow grace in by reminding yourself that we live in seasons. Every season – summer, spring, autumn, and winter – winds down and transitions into the next season.  So, if you are going through a hard time, don’t give up!! The dark days of winter will soon come to an end! And if you’re going through a summery time, make it last by starting your self-love practices now.

Practice mindfulness

Oh, this is a hard one! Especially when you’re facing a deadline, but you’re struggling with something mentally, and feel creatively stuck as a result. Trying to be mindful brings me back to enjoying the task I’m tackling without becoming overwhelmed by all the things that are waiting to get done. And I’m saying “trying” because this is still a tricky practice for me, especially while working on a big project and I’m far from the finish line, like launching this new brand website and blog!

Embrace your faith

There is nothing that can give you more grace than faith that comes from spiritual practice. Through difficult moments, uncertainty, and even through success, holding on hard to my faith has been the most valuable thing I have added to my biz investments. Giving up my decisions, my failures, and my accomplishments to Jesus has allowed me to realize that things don’t depend on me, but that He is looking over everything I do.

Listen to your inner voice

Pay particular attention to your intuition. Walking down a path where the next step is based on intuition can actually make us let go of things we love, make hard but right decisions, and do things that scare us, but your heart and inner voice know better than Mr. Google. This is the reason I’m publishing this post and running this new brand blog! I dared to listen to my inner voice and make changes in my life to evolve. I could have fallen into the trap of fear and have done nothing, but the truth is that I intuitively needed to shift to a heartfelt and purpose-driven business. So here I am, and more importantly, here you are!

Whether you’re grinding through the daily routine of your biz, enjoying a time of super success and bliss, or happen to be going through hard times, don’t forget that there is grace for you if you open your heart to it! Remember that the acceptance of grace begins with the kind decisions you make for yourself. So take action, be kind to yourself, and keep shining your light for the world!

PIN IT FOR LATER