I know self-care is hard in the beginning. How do I know this? Because I have been there. You know you want to change your life, love yourself better, and become a better version of yourself, but you don’t know where to start. Should you start with the green juices, waking up early, or going to the gym? Don’t really know. That is why I am here. I am going to give you a beginner’s guide to starting self-care. I am going to give you the guide I wish someone had given me.

1. KNOW YOUR “WHY”?: Self-care is not an aesthetically pleasing kind of thing. It is uncomfortable, and it is messy, and to take that through, you need a very strong why that aligns with you and you alone. Your why will take you through the tough times and make you keep going because of it. You have to refine what self-care and self-love actually mean to you. When you look at self-care from an aesthetic point of view, you will find yourself trying to live up to other people’s expectations, and that can cause overwhelm.
2. START WITH ONE THING: You get overwhelmed easily when you have too many things to start at the same time. Start with one thing; let’s say drinking water, a solo date or skin care. Just start with one thing, and when you have mastered that, then you can add more. If it becomes too overwhelming for you, drop some and keep on going.
3. MAKE IT A ROUTINE, NOT A GOAL: Accomplishing a goal can be taxing without a good routine. Whatever you want to start, embed it into your daily life. For example, let’s say you want to go to the gym and get healthy. Instead of just saying that, say I will go to the gym 5 times a week. Also, plan out your meal so that it can be healthy.
4. ALLOW YOURSELF TO EVOLVE: The thing about self-care is that you will outgrow certain routines as you shift and become better. Now, don’t think this is a setback; this is actually an improvement. It shows you are going in the right direction. What supported you at 17 will not support you at 25. Every season of your life is different, and that comes with a different routine and shifts in your life.

Starting your self-care journey isn’t something that will make you grow overnight. There will be hard times and good times; that is all part of growing.

Remember, consistency is key, and whenever you feel burned out, pause and breath then take a step back and reevaluate. I hope this helps. GOODLUCK!