7 Ways You Can Nurture Yourself Every Day ...

Having some sort of daily ritual is one of the ways you can nurture yourself and start performing the life long habit of self-care. I do a five-minute yoga routine every morning before I leave for work. Whether you decide to do yoga, go for a jog, take a shower, drink your favorite cup of tea or coffee, or read a few pages from your favorite book, it’s still time that you're dedicating just for you. Make sure you do it every day and that your ritual time becomes a priority in your life.

What happens to us in life really does depend on our outlook as it is something we can change. Life doesn’t always come in a beautiful package with a bow on top and some of us do have to struggle before the rewards come. I firmly believe that we’re all meant to be happy and should strive to fill our lives with joy, as a result. Happiness does come from within (no one and nothing from the outside can make you happy), so remember to choose happiness over strife, whenever you consciously can.

Remember to be yourself and stay true to yourself! It’s exhausting to be someone you’re not, always wearing masks that don’t allow you to be you. If you can learn to embody the good, the bad, and the ugly and accept the events that happen to you, then you will have more compassion for when those bad ‘things’ do happen to you. It is easier said than done, but over time with more acceptance of events, we’ll learn to be more authentic.

By breaking away from what others want to do will help you do something for yourself, something you want to do. If others are interested in watching a film while you want to go for a hike, then go on that hike. It will teach you to listen to your inner needs, communicate them to others and you'll become more assertive at the same time.

If you’re looking to always change something about your life or you’re not happy with where you are at, you will never be able to find peace of mind. Take your hands off the steering wheel and realize that you are where you are meant to be in this moment of time. Choose the path of least resistance, surrender, and know that everything is unfolding as it should (even if it doesn’t always feel that way). Each of us have life lessons that we need to experience in order to gain wisdom and understanding in life, so know that where you are at is where you are supposed to be!

Everyone has masculine and feminine traits. It can take a while to understand those aspects and honor the two, for they make you whole and who you are. Perhaps you’re more masculine in the business world or more feminine when you’re organizing a social event. Embrace the two sides of you and realize that you can live more powerfully when you balance the two energies well.

Making self-care a priority can be challenging, particularly if it’s a foreign concept for you. When life gets busy, doing things for yourself is the first thing that gets sacrificed. Book some time on your calendar for you, even when things get overwhelming. Reclaim yourself; list things that you like about yourself, buy some fresh flowers, learn something new, treat yourself, create something, slow down and genuinely make time for YOU.

We all have a right to experience joy, feel good about ourselves and be happy; don’t ever forget this in life. By practicing simple daily steps to self-care, over time you'll realize just how worthy you are. What are some ways you practice self-care and nurture yourself every day?