
I turned 44 this week 🤍
And as birthdays have a super fun way of doing, it got me thinking about what's important - how I want to feel, how I want to show up for myself and those around me, what I want to learn, experiences I want to have, people I want to spend time with...
And I recognized that all of this begins with me.
I get to choose how I go through this life.
I get to choose awareness, acceptance with what is, hope for the future, happiness, and love.
We are often so sure that if we look a certain way or if we have a particular partner, or experience, or have that new purse/car/house that we will feel a certain way on the inside.
That we will finally be happy, at peace, at ease.
But we're missing the point; life doesn’t work like that.
All the Good Stuff we so desperately seek outside of ourselves, actually begins on the inside.
Which is AMAZING because that’s where we find joy, love, acceptance, peace, and deep inner trust.
So let's start there, on the inside.
The list that follows is a combination of important mindset shifts + practical tips you can start doing today to welcome more acceptance, trust, joy, energy, and intention into your life... from the inside out ❤️
xo
44 Ways to to Care for Yourself
From the Inside Out
1. Create more awareness in your life ✨
This is 1st on the list for a reason. Awareness is power. It also always precedes change.
Cultivate the habit of listening in, and watch what changes.
2. Find time for quiet moments throughout the day
The more you pepper them in, the more space, calm and ease you will find.
Hint! Take 3 deep breaths when you arrive at a red light rather than check your phone to see what has (often not....) happened in the 1.5 minutes since you last checked 🙄
3. Work to understand the power of your mind in creating your life
Recognize that you are in charge of your feelings and behaviors. It all begins with your thoughts. When you bring awareness to them, you get to change them. This is Life. Changing.
4. Set a daily, weekly, monthly and/or yearly intention
THIS POST post will show you exactly how.
5. Visualize success
Take a single minute each morning to visualize what success would look like for that day/week/month/year. This is a powerful practice that has the potential for transformative growth.
6. Surround yourself with positivity
People, books, ideas, social media accounts, sticky notes in your bathroom cabinet, and..... puppies ;)
We need more of this 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼 in our lives please

7. Create consistency of habits in your life
When you find habits that work, great! Make them easy and obvious to continue doing.
When you find things that are not so wonderful, also great! Make them more challenging and less obvious to continue doing.
Check out THIS post for a framework to create new habits
8. Show yourself a little self-compassion
When you catch yourself being super self-critical, take a deep breath, and talk to yourself like you would a child or a dear friend.
Then notice the difference in how you feel. Nothing outside you has changed, but the more positive inner dialogue shifts your perception of the situation and it is a Game Changer.
9. Understand what 'healthy' looks and feels like in your life
Health is an everyday practice, not a 30 day diet
And it's different for everyone. Define it for yourself and you are a step ahead of most people trying to seek it out in the wrong places
This is KEY - don't skip it.
10. Start a journaling habit
This is the single most beneficial thing I do for myself each day
Start with a guided question for no more than 2 minutes - really, keep it super small while you are building the habit
More info HERE to make this positive habit stick
11. Put. The. Phone. Down. 👈🏼 👈🏼 👈🏼
Be present for your life
12. Move your body every single day
It doesn't have to be long, or intense, just move everyday.
13. Move your body to feel good in your skin, NOT to change it
Yes!! You get to go for a walk, or do a yoga class, or play with your kids on the trampoline.
This is a powerful mindset shift that can forever alter your approach to physical activity. Think of it next time you're dreading the walk around the block.
14. Regularly step out of your Comfort Zone

15. Connect mind and body through movement
I promise there is a style of yoga out there for you; gentle, hot power yoga, Bikram Yoga, aerial, restorative etc... If it's not yoga, maybe it's meditative walking or Tai Chi. Try a few things and see what sticks.
16. Spend 2 minutes in quiet each morning
Create space and calm with more silence in your life. This is new for me since I attended a Silent Retreat; it's had a profound effect
Try leaving the radio off in the car
17. Drink water first thing in the morning
Start with a cup of warm water (some like to add lemon) when you wake up to flush your system and hydrate from the night
18. Read up on Intuitive Eating
19. Familiarize yourself with how Diet Culture shows up in your life
Hint! It's everywhere....
Start HERE - and move forward with a little more understanding and self-compassion
20. Develop a healthier relationship with your body 💡💡💡💡
We are sooo used to ignoring our bodies in favor of listening to outside influences - calorie counts, fitness trackers, that friend who lost 10 lbs doing intermittent fasting, or the doctor on tv. Get quiet, take a deep breath, and ask YOURSELF what you need. Listen for the answer, and then ACT on what you hear. Build trust in you.
21. Write down your goals
When you know where you're going, it's so much easier to get there
HERE is a framework you can use to get you there
22. Stop apologizing
You don't need to apologize for taking up space in this world
Turn your apology into a thank you.
Ex - "I'm so incredibly sorry I'm late" can turn into "Thank you so much for waiting"

23. Reflect on accomplishments
Create a Book of Wins and write something down in it every single day.
Watch your self-confidence begin to soar.
24. Schedule self-care time
Just like you would plan a meeting or carve out time to pick your kids up from school. Schedule time - literally write it down in your calendar - for yourself.
25. Take technology breaks
Put the screen down and look into the eyes of the people around you - or even yourself in the mirror. Ask yourself, "what's important in this moment?". Act on what you hear.
26. Volunteer for a cause that inspires you
"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." - Mahatma Gandhi
27. Practice random acts of kindness

28. Set and keep boundaries that matter to you
Ask yourself - "What behaviors, actions, or situations make me feel uncomfortable, stressed, or compromise my values"
Then, "What can I do to address or avoid them?"
Write down your thoughts
Communicate your boundaries clearly to anyone involved - including yourself
29. Say No
You know the feeling of pure elation you get when someone cancels something and you no longer have to get dressed and go somewhere you didn't want to go in the first place?!
Skip all the messiness in the middle, and say no out of the gates - create that elation for yourself 🙌🏼
30. Be less available
You likely don't need to be reachable to everyone you've ever known at any given moment in time.
Turn your phone off. Silence your notifications. Don't respond to the email until you get into the office tomorrow am.
Take your time back. Notice what changes.
31. Spend quality time with the people that are important to you ❤️
Make time for the people that matter
Hint! This list of important people MUST include yourself. At the tippy top.
32. GETMO 🙌
Good Enough To Move On
Let this be your new mantra when your perfectionist ideals get the best of you
33. Eat the cookie
Or the tacos, or the pizza, or whatever it is you feel is 'off limits'.
Please know there are other ways of viewing food and your body than the garbage many of us have believed for decades
This is my all time FAV depiction of Intuitive Eating

34. Say something kind to yourself in the mirror
Bonus points if you let your children (daughters in particular!) overhear you
Bonus points X one million if you do it while in a bathing suit 👙
35. Create a Daily Mantra
I'm just starting to come back around to this one and I love it
Each morning take a moment to consider what you have going on for the day and then jot down a few words or a phrase that will help you feel happy and be successful
Write it out on a sticky and place it somewhere you will see it
36. Have a 'go to' mantra for expected challenges
The key?? It has to be believable to you, otherwise it won't work.
Check out THIS POST for more info.
37. Turn on your Relaxation Response with a slow, steady breath
Most people don't know how to take a deep breath - click HERE for the TL;DR
38. Step outside Every Single Day
“The antidote to exhaustion isn’t rest, it’s nature” -Shikoba
Sesame Street knows it, now so do we 😉
Side note - I can't tell you how many times I watched this Jason Mraz video with my oldest daughter when she was small - anyone else??
More tips HERE for how to get outside more
39. Get regular check-ups
Take care of your physical body.
Grab a friend for moral suport and/or let the doctor know if you're feeling nervous.
40. Challenge your self-concept ❤️
"Just because you think it, doesn't mean it's true" - this is my FAV. I literally tell myself this ALL the time. It's a game changer.
Read HERE for more
41. Have a simple strategy in your back pocket to handle anxious or stressful moments
We can anticipate that we will at some point feel uneasy, angry or nervous, why not have a go-to strategy to handle those inevitable moments?
54321 and the STOP practice are both simple, effective, and can be done anywhere without any special equipment, or even anyone knowing you're doing it
Great to practice with your kids btw
42. Familiarize yourself with the Happiness Formula
It's not about everything turning out exactly the way you planned, it's about finding happiness in how it does ✨
43. Recognize that the key to feeling connected to others, is to first connect in with yourself
44. Lead by example as you share your unique knowledge, gifts, and skills with others ❤️
Imagine how much better off this world would be if we learned these things earlier in our lives...
I hope this list is helpful as you create the space and time to take care of yourself from the inside out.
Comment below with any ways you find helpful in our own life!
With all the love,
Carolyn
xo
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