As a homeschooling mumpreneur, I’ve recently made a conscious effort to devote more time & energy to self-care practices. The results were astonishing! Here’s how self-care changed my life, and how you can use the moon to guide your self-care practices.
Listen or watch this episode on Apple, Spotify, Youtube or wherever you listen to podcasts.
In today’s episode, you’ll discover:
- What I did during my year of self-care
- How self-care has changed my life
- How the moon can guide your self-care practices
A few years ago, after I’d had my 4th baby, I began to feel burnt out & drained. I was exhausted from caring for my 4 young kids, homeschooling, running businesses, and everything else in between.
I began to realize that I felt so drained because I was pouring my energy into caring for everyone else around me, but I had no energy left to care for myself.
This prompted me to begin a journey of self-care and self-love…
Why self-care?
I used to think self-care was selfish. I felt guilty & selfish for taking time out to relax in the bath or paint my nails when there were chores to do, housework needing done, and kids to feed.
But I learnt that all those things can wait. I HAD to make myself a priority, so I could be a better mother.
Admittedly, I used to be sooo irritable and cranky before I devoted regular time for self-care. Now that I’ve found more balance between housework/parenting/business and self-care, I feel happier! I can show up to my highest potential now that I make myself & my needs a priority.
A year of self care
At the start of 2021, I made a list of about 50 self-care activities – one for each week of the year. Planning it out in advance helps you make it happen, rather than a vague senes of “I know I need to do self-care this week but I don’t know what to do”.
Some of the things on this list include:
- Go for a nature walk
- Sound healing
- Cacao ceremony
- Crystal healing
- Listen to an inspiring podcast
- Get a manicure
- Make museli bars
- Make a vision board
- Listen to a favourite album
- Go to a yoga class
- Attend a creative workshop
- Get a massage
- Read a magazine
- Acupuncture
- Buy new underwear
I would pick an activity for each week and schedule it into my diary so that it would actually happen.
For me, this method worked really well for the first few months of the year! I stayed on track with my planned self-care activities. Then after a while, self-care just started to happen habitually.
I was getting regular massages. I spent an hour in a float room every month (soooo blissful!). I painted my nails, and when they got chipped I would actually remove the nail polish & repaint them again. I made time for daily yoga. For a month, I went on weekly nature walks with my kids.
So even though I didn’t fully complete my ambitious list of 50 different self-care activities, I still devoted regular time for self-care practices.
This regular self-care made a HUGE difference to my emotions, self-worth & how I show up. Through 2021, I learnt how to manage my stress better, I became more confident, and I was more loving towards myself. I’m making healthier choices for myself, and I’m feeling less frustrated & irritated over things that used to annoy me.
Self-care doesn’t have to be expensive. A lot of the things on my list were free (or very cheap). It’s all about how it makes you FEEL.
Moon inspired self-care
The moon cycle has influenced my self-care practices a lot over the past year, and here’s how you can use the moon to guide your self-care practices too!
The waning crescent moon (the week before the new moon) is the best time of the moon cycle for self-care practices. This is a time of rest & healing, so let go of your stresses so you can go within & have some time to renew yourself. During this waning crescent moon week, you might find you’re more tired & worn out. Notice how you feel when the moon is waning, and listen to your body. Take time to rest when you need to.
The other way I use the moon to guide my self-care practices is by checking out when the moon is void-of-course. Void-of-course moons happen about every 2-2.5 days, lasting anywhere from a few minutes up to 24+ hours. During this time, it’s best to avoid scheduling important appointments, working on important tasks, or anything else that you don’t want to stuff up. Instead, it’s a time for meditation, yoga, maintenance work, or taking time off. So naturally, I love to use these void-of-course moon times for self-care practices!
You can also let the moon guide you to WHAT self-care practices you should be focusing on. Each zodiac sign is associated with body parts & chakras, so by checking out which zodiac sign the moon is in, you can determine which body parts/chakras to focus on.
Your natal moon sign can also guide you towards the best self-care activities for YOU. Your moon sign describes what you need to feel emotionally fulfilled, so you can definitely use this as a guide to discover the best self-care activities for you.
We’re talking all about your moon sign & self-care in the Herbal Moon Goddess Academy! Enrol now to get INSTANT ACCESS to astrology & tarot courses.
Click here to enrol in the Herbal Moon Goddess Academy.
Comment below and let me know: what are your self-care practices? How often do you dedicate time to self-care? What are the benefits you’ve noticed from more self-care time?