It’s no surprise that our culture is tapping into the concept of self-care and how beneficial it is for your health and well-being. I teach my practice members all the time to schedule in PLAY, FUN, and RELAXATION just as much as we schedule work, meetings, to-do lists, etc. The more we can keep our cups full, the more we can pour our gifts into others.

In honor of Heart Health Month and Valentine’s Day, here are my top 5 self-care strategies that I believe can help you access more self-compassion in your healing journey. I also encourage you to sit down one day and write out 250 things that bring you JOY. It can be as simple as going for a walk or making a cup of warm coffee on a chilly day.

Dr. Mel’s Top 5 Self-Care Strategies

1. Meditation - 5 min. minimum daily

   1. My favorite meditation apps - Insight Timer, Meditation Studio, YouTube

2. Somato Respiratory Integration - 5-20 min. daily

   1. Deep, bodymind breathing in the morning and at night helps me connect and wake up, start the day right, and get a nice shot of oxygen to the brain as well as feel calm before bed. My go to stages are Stage 1, 2, and 4

   2. Curious to learn more about SRI? Check out our next class here.

3. Gratitude Journaling - daily

   1. Write down 10 things you are grateful for in your life. It can be anything from a warm home in MN to something you love about yourself [like how AWESOMELY kind you are to other people 😉 ]

4. Movement

   1. Whether it’s a walk by the lake with my boyfriend, a drop-in community yoga class, or simple stretching on my living room rug, moving your body daily will help not only with flexibility, strength, and mobility, but also support your emotional well-being too!

5. Spend quality time with friends and family

   1. The key to this strategy is to SCHEDULE it! I’ve found that as we age, it can be so easy to brush it aside and say, “I’ll reach out to you and schedule a time to hang!” But how often do we truly follow through? As you continue to commit to yourself, think about how you can spread the love to others around you and uplift them too! Because everyone deserves self-care and self-compassion.

Yours in health,

Dr. Mel Krug

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