By Bekah J
Going to a spa can do wonderful things for our bodies and help make us look and feel good. But what if you can’t make it to the spa? Why not try somewhat of an “internal spa treatment”? A pampering of our souls to help us feel good when we can’t receive a physical spa treatment. Here are some easy things you can do to make yourself feel good on the inside so you’re better able to tackle the outside world.
Meditate
It may sound a little cheesy, but research is continuously touting the benefits of meditation. The nice thing is there’s really no wrong way to do it. You can spend time praying, you can find all sorts of resources for guided meditation, or you can just take time to breathe deeply and focus on nothing but the sounds and sensations around you. The only thing you need to do to reap the benefits is to give yourself some uninterrupted time – even five minutes will help – is to step away from the immediate cares of the world.
Keep it in Perspective
There are two mantras that help me get through just about everything: “lower the bar” and “it’s only a phase.” Although these are particularly appropriate for parents, they work for anything. Most of us keep standards for ourselves far higher than anyone else has for us. By lowering the bar we can make our goals more manageable, and then raise the bar back up once we’ve reached them. Reminding ourselves that “it’s only a phase” can help us weather just about any storm or stressful experience, because we remember that it’s not going to last forever.
Affirm Yourself
Did you know that we have tens of thousands of separate thoughts per day? For most people, the majority of those thoughts are negative (regrets, thinking about mistakes, picking out our own faults). Consciously change that pattern. If you catch yourself thinking a negative thought, turn it into a proactive one. And spend time each day intentionally focusing on your strengths and the things you can do. It can be particularly helpful to write down positive comments that other people say about you, so that you can re-read them and remind yourself of your good traits.
When you feel good on the inside, you’ll be able to go through life more confidently. It also helps your stress level, which will have a positive effect on your health and relationships with others as well.
Bekah blogs at Motherhood Moment where she shares family-friendly tips on saving money and time, meal and activity ideas, and more. She also blogs at Motherhood Mindfully where she talks about mindful parenting and eco-friendly living.
Bryce Gruber is a Manhattanite mom and founder + editor of 
Make “you” a priority. Schedule a time each week that you commit to doing something solely for you – from a yoga class to a manicure to browsing the public library – while someone else cares for your child. Look upon this time as integral to your health and well-being, and not expendable.
Eat nutritiously, as you’ll function much better if you’re running on a balanced diet rather than your child’s leftover macaroni and cheese or chicken fingers.
Stacy DeBroff, founder and CEO of Mom Central Consulting, the leading social media consulting firm focused on Moms, brings more than a decade of award-winning experience, expertise, and insight to the nation’s top brands, agencies, and organizations. In 2011, Inc. magazine named Mom Central Consulting (
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