Jim's Articles

Self-Care routines

Personal growth is very important in this 2019 world full of speed and stress. It’s true what they say: breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. But, why? Well, you need to energy if you want to tackle the ambitious goals that you’ve set for yourself, so a balanced breakfast should always be part of your morning routine. I always like to think of my body like I think about a car. If I noticed that I was almost out of gas before I set off from home, I’d rush to the nearest gas station to fill up my tank. Without gas, my car won’t be able to continue moving forward. And it’s the exact same with my body – I need to put in the right amount of fuel (food) so that I can continue moving forward as an entrepreneur.

Sometimes the best way to have a productive morning is to get a head start on it the night before. Many productivity experts and successful people spend their evenings preparing for the next day because it makes their mornings free to get an early start on important work. American Express CEO Kenneth Chenault ends his evenings by writing down three things he wants to accomplish the next day. Planning the evening before is effective because we have a limited amount of willpower and decision-making ability every day. The thought of making too many decisions in the morning will slow you down and drain your brain for the rest of the day. If you can eliminate decision-making from your mornings, you’ll have more energy and time to have the most productive morning you can!

Most successful people tend to include their ‘me-time’ in their morning routines. For some, that means spending time with their family and for others spending time alone. In either way, with a clear and fresh mind, this is a great time to be yourself and enjoy the moment. Read extra details on Confident style.

Forget about “flattering”. If something is your style, I believe you should wear it – regardless of whether it supposedly “flatters” your body shape, makes you look two pounds thinner or draws attention to “flaws”. Because it’s not your job to look as close as possible to what’s currently considered ideal. Read this post if you want to know more about why I’m not a fan of the idea of “dressing for your body type”. Don’t emulate others – develop your own look.Obviously it’s fine to get inspired by others, I’m all for that. But I believe that as women we are already way too often encouraged to emulate other “prettier, more successful” women rather than think for ourselves and make our own decisions about what to wear and what to look like. When you are trying to emulate someone else you are also falling into the comparison trap. Comparing yourself is never a good idea if you care about your self-esteem, but when your point of comparison is a celebritiy who had a whole team of professionals working on her look, you can only lose.

The proper use of colours is another key element of mindful interior design. Typically, various natural hues are the best way to go. These include earthy tones, as well as different shades of blue and green. However, if you like a particular colour that is not so commonly found in nature, you can implement it in the design with various accent pieces. Additionally, using the power of natural colours doesn’t only include painting your walls a different shade or replacing your carpet. The beauty of exposed natural hardwood floors and polished wooden furniture can also do wonders for your peace of mind.

One of my favorite (and maybe most important) ways that I have simplified self-care in my life is by adjusting my mindset around it. I went from thinking it was just another thing on my plate to believing that it was a necessary part of my daily life. I went from feeling guilty about it to understanding that If I don’t do it, it’s a disservice to those around me. Focus on the feeling practicing self-care gives you and let that dictate how you implement it into your days. See more info at Self-Care routines.