Have you ever sat down to get some work done and your cat jumps on your lap only to force you to pet him? Cats know what they want. When they want your attention, they take it, when they don’t, they know how to get you to stay away. Cats know self-care, but sometimes us humans need a little reminding.
There is a saying that says, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” This means that you can’t keep giving to people when you have nothing in you to give, when you are all used up, feeling burnt out. Burn out happens when your cup is empty. By keeping your cup full you can avoid burnout and crush your goals!
Why self-care?
Practicing self-care can boost productivity, reduce stress and anxiety. When our cups are full we have the energy to tackle those not-so-fun tasks. If you are constantly feeling tired, burnt out, or in just a constant need of a vacation – a routine may be just what you need (but hey, if you have time for a real vacation – take it- a great form of self-care!)
Plan it
Scheduling time for self-care is important. Our busy lives sometimes make us forget to take care of Schedule it in your planner or implement some daily self-care into your routine. Self-care comes in many forms and it may look different for every person.
Types of Self-care
There are many different types of self-care and many ways to fill up your cup. The main three groups for self-care are social, emotional/mental and physical self care.
Social
Cats know exactly how much social time they need and just like humans, every cat is different. An introvert will need self-care which involves spending quality time alone or with non-humans, like their furbabies. An extrovert will need time to be around other people in order to fill their cup. If you feel refreshed after alone time and exhausted after spending a day with other people, you are probably an introvert. And if you feel more energized after spending time with people then you are an extrovert. Knowing whether or not you are an introvert or an extrovert is important to help you know which will fill up your cup. Remember just because you are outgoing doesn’t mean you’re an extrovert just as, being shy does not mean you are an introvert. It is possible to fall somewhere in between, so just make sure you are doing activities that fill up your cup! If an activity does not make you feel relaxed and refreshed afterwards, then try something new.
Emotional / mental
Cats don’t compare themselves to anyone else, they aren’t people pleasers. They are not afraid to say no – OR yes! On top of that- they have confidence. These things are all important to ones self-care. Affirmations, goal setting, meditation, and gratitude are all excellent ways to work on our mental/emotional health.
Physical
Cats spend most of their time relaxing, meditating or sleeping. They are a great example to humans, teaching us the need to unwind the body. Some cats love to jump, climb trees, and even run – they expend so much energy on these activities. These activities keep them fit and healthy. To them, it is a form of excitement but to humans, it can be a form of exercise. You will find out that they take time afterward to relax, teaching us the importance of balancing exercise and enough rest time. Cats get in their exercise, they eat well- you know they demand the best! And they always know when to pamper themselves by giving themselves a bath and taking care of their nails on a scratching post whenever they need it. Stretching, getting enough sleep, and exercise are great ways to improve your physical self-care.
Cat Mom self-care
For Cat Moms, just being around our cats is great self-care, but we must still remember to take care of ourselves and fill up our own cups, before we are ready to give to others. It’s never too late to get into a self-care routine. How will I give myself some self-care today?
Keep on purring,
Pin it:
