Often when we think about self-care we think about getting a massage, a pedicure or a facial. We might also include making healthy food choices, staying hydrated, taking supplements, and exercising into this mix, and think we’ve got self-care covered.

But there are other things that go into all of the above that I believe fall under the umbrella of self-care that are super easy to overlook. These 5 things are a part of the inner game of self-care, and they can make or break how effective or self-care really is. That’s why I believe they are self-care in and of themselves.

Here are 5 lesser-known self-care practices for a happier and healthier you:

1. Clear Priorities: I speak about this form of self-care a lot because when you know what your priorities are – the things that you hold near and dear to your heart – you know where you really want to be spending your time and energy. You also know the kinds of boundaries you need to set and maintain in order to continue to hold those things sacred. If you aren’t living in alignment with your priorities, you can see where you are making choices that could be draining you, or might be coming from people-pleasing, should-ing on yourself, or fear. Getting clear about your priorities is one of the fastest ways to align your life and manage your energy that I know of. That’s why I call it a self-care practice, and why I feel it’s essential for every woman.
2. Commitment: Until we make a clear commitment about something – like a desire or a goal – we can often find ourselves in constant negotiations about that thing. We’re one foot in, one foot out with it. Maybe we’ll show up for today, maybe we won’t. It will depend on how we feel. But when you are committed to it, there is far more momentum and energy behind that goal or desire, and our chances of receiving it are far greater. Commitment often asks us to activate the energy of the Wise Warrior inside of us – one of the Self-Honoring Archetypes I introduce my clients to in our work together. That Wise Warrior is all about creating the systems and structures that are going to support our commitments. We have to commit and recommit to our desires and goals again and again, and it makes receiving our goals and desires so much easier.
3. Organization: A little organization goes a looong way. I’m teaching this to my son right now, who frequently falls into despair when he can’t find something – like a book, or whatever tool he needs for the current mad scientist project he’s working on. Not knowing where things are tends to deflate his inspiration and action, and it leads to a lot of unnecessary emotional ups and downs throughout his day. The same is true for us adults. Organization can look like creating a place for all of your things – so each thing has its designated place in your home, or office, your purse or your car. Organization can look like a color-coded schedule, so you know where you need to be, or who has what appointment and when. Don’t underestimate this powerful form of self-care.
4. Mise en Place: This is a French culinary term that means getting all of your ingredients measured out and prepped before you create a recipe or a meal. This way, you will know that you have enough of everything you need before you start cooking. In terms of self-care, Mise en Place is what I do the night before when I lay out my workout clothes in advance. This simple act reduces the amount of negotiating I might do with myself in the morning when I may or may not feel like working out. I also lay out everything I can for breakfast the night before – vitamins, bowls and cutlery, the blender, my protein powder, etc. I also like to know what I’m wearing the next day, or what I’m making for dinner throughout the week at the start of the week, so I know I have all the ingredients on hand, and there’s no last minute “what am I going to make for dinner?” conversations or stress with myself. Mise en Place is one way I create more peace and flow in my daily life, and that’s why I think of it as a serious but easily overlooked form of self-care.
5. Generosity Towards Self: Not everything goes to plan or is a success. Sometimes there are epic failures in my day that I could quite easily beat myself up for. I used to be super hard on myself and very self-critical, but I’ve dropped a lot of that nonsense because beating myself only hurts and exhausts me. Who needs that? When I was in my very active healing phase I was so frustrated and impatient with my body. I wanted it to hurry up and heal – mostly because I wanted to be able to live more, but also because our hustle culture had definitely infiltrated my thinking about how long healing should take. It was when I really started to take stock of all the ways my body has and was working so hard for me that I realized it was time to be far more generous with myself and put the critic away. This is another form of inner self-care that has helped me honor and preserve my energy , along with my mental and emotional health.

Self-care is about so much more than making sure your nails are painted and trimmed and that you’re getting enough sleep.

Of course, get your nails done, get a regular massage, and get enough sleep! But also, remember that self-care is about how you treat yourself, how you hold your desires and goals, and how you move through your days and weeks.

Everything is interconnected. How you show up in your life deeply affects how well your life works for you and what your daily experience. If you want less overwhelm and stress, and more peace and flow, these 5 self-care practices can help you experience just that.

Maybe you’re ready to take your self-care to the next level of amazing. Maybe one of my not-so-obvious self-care practices above caught your attention. Maybe it’s time to up the ante on how good you feel and how well your life works.

Please remember, it’s never too late to elevate yourself, your health, and your life.