The Summer of Self…

…love

…care

…???

Today is Monday, July 1. Beginning of the week. Beginning of a new month. Beginning of the second half of the year. And the beginning of the summer of self for me. I’m very clear that this is not about being selfish. In fact, it’s about me being more giving, more generous. more vibrant, more alive, more caring, more…fill in the blank.

I had so many voices in my head last week. The nagging voices asking me what I’m waiting for, why haven’t I done this or that (my to-do list is long), the voices reminding me that if I don’t look and feel my best I have to make different choices. And I heard then loud and clear.

There are so many tasks I put aside “until I have time,” or “until I have more information.” The time is now and I do have the information. I pride myself on the resources and strategies I share with my clients. I’m so thrilled when they achieve their weight-loss and health goals. I know how important it is to take care of myself (like when they flight attendants explain that should the oxygen masks be needed, be sure to cover your nose and mouth before assisting small children). But, sometimes I forget. I go back to my old ways of giving up the gym one day in order to get more work done. One day becomes two which becomes three, and so on, until it hits me that I haven’t been to the gym in over a week.

My body (and mind and spirit) need the gym. Or time at the yoga studio. I need to move. I need to make the right food choices for me. I know that means weaning myself off soy lattes. The thing is, I’m not even that much of a coffee drinker. I don’t “need” it in the morning. Really, it’s about walking down the street with that Starbucks cup in my hand. Yet before I became addicted to soy lattes, I had tea in my Starbucks cup and I was very happy and satisfied. I’m not sure exactly when things shifted, but I know I need to get back to that “happy and satisfied” place. I’m getting to the root cause of my thyroid issues (more on that in the future) and the soy has to go. Saying it here makes it very real for me.

So this summer is the summer of self-love and self-care and whatever other “self” internalizing I need to do in order for me to be my best self. Taking care of myself and loving myself is going to make me the best wife, daughter, sister, sister-in-law, aunt, friend, coach and speaker I can be. I’m excited.

I hope you’ll join me on the journey. What can you do this summer to take good care of yourself and love yourself?