Creating and sticking to a realistic self-care plan can be overwhelming and time-consuming. However, these days as busy women, it is necessary to take care of ourselves so we can be at our best for our families. Fill your cup first! We need the strength and energy to raise kids, work, and complete the thousands of other tasks that keep us and our families happy and thriving.
Over the years, I have built a library of self-care apps on my phone that I count on to keep my mind and body healthy and strong. If you have a smartphone, there are plenty of apps that focus on self-care and health. There are a variety of options so you have to try some out to find what works best for you.
30 Self-Care Apps To Explore
Below are some apps on my Android phone that I use frequently. There may be different links for Apple phones but they are usually fairly similar so just do a quick search in your app store. Hope these ideas help you stay sane and cope with the pressures of motherhood and daily life!
Whatever helps you stay on track with living your best life is worth looking into. Schedule some time for yourself and research self-care apps that would benefit you. Ask around and find out what your friends are using and what works for them too. Check out the app store on your phone and spend some time exploring it!
xoxo
Jill DeMasi is a Lifestyle Blogger, Licensed Massage Therapist, and Certified Wellness Coach with a passion for helping others manage stress, chronic pain, and anxiety. Learn more about her journey and wellness practice that offers natural solutions to stress at www.AtTheHeartofWellness.com.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. All opinions are my own.
My Journey with Back Pain
If there is one thing I know about, it’s how to find relief from back pain. In my twenties, I suffered from intense low back pain as a result of different traumas that I endured. It was a long road before I found something that helped me recover. After visiting a variety of doctors, I was told that I needed to just live with the pain and that they couldn’t really help me. This was so depressing and frustrating.
The doctors told me that I was just depressed and the pain would be relieved with a combination of medications. I stopped exercising and going out and was not able to enjoy life. At one point, I had to take a leave of absence from my job because it was just too painful to sit all day at my desk. This was back when I was still working in Human Resources.
Chronic pain had taken over my life and it was making me so sad that I was missing out on living a fun and active life. It took about 8 years before I started to find real relief.
The Turning Point
Living with chronic pain affected my relationships and my job. After trying many different therapies, medications, and a variety of doctors, I became desperate to find answers. Then one day my grandmother suggested that I visit a chiropractor. I did not know anything about this modality so I was a little hesitant at first. I had just moved to Connecticut and the chiropractor was located in New Jersey.
So I packed a bag and headed to NJ to see this chiropractor. During my first visit, he took some specific x-rays of my low back and pelvis. Turns out my pelvis was severely rotated and causing intense muscle spasms in my low back. Within a couple of weeks of getting adjusted, I actually started to feel a little better. I was so happy that I had finally found some relief.
After returning back to Connecticut, I continued my care with a local chiropractor. I had no idea how much my life would change. There were plenty of ups and downs but it was definitely a turning point in recovering from the back pain. My experience with pain helped shape my life as it is today.
While visiting this new chiropractor, I was introduced to a Massage Therapist who helped me tremendously. This was how I discovered bodywork. After a couple of years passed, I decided to go to school for massage therapy to help other people in pain. Although it was a difficult time, I discovered many blessings along the way and am grateful to have come out on the other side. Through my struggles with back pain, I ended up finding my passion in life!
How to Recover From Back Pain
Apply Ice and Heat Packs
During the first 24 to 48 hours of an injury, it is recommended to use ice. After that, heat is recommended. I like the gel heat packs more than the dry heating pad. It is also beneficial to alternate ice and heat when it becomes more of a chronic issue.
Get in a Comfortable Position
When sleeping, put a pillow under your knees while lying on your back and then in between your knees when you are on your side. In addition, using pillows while sitting is also helpful to relieve pressure off your back.
Take an Anti-Inflammatory Medication or Pain Relief Supplement
Taking medications is ok in the short term and may just help you get over the hump. I suggest using more natural supplements for long-term use. Magnesium is the natural muscle relaxer mineral. Check with your doctor to see what would work best for you.
Topical Pain Relief
24/7 Relief & Recovery is my go-to and the best pain relief cream I have ever used personally and professionally. Using this cream a few times per day will reduce inflammation and provide quick and natural pain relief. My clients love this cream!
Take a Hot Epsom Salt Bath
There is nothing better than soaking in a hot bath with soothing Epsom salts to provide some muscle relaxation.
Use a Massage Pillow
Move Around and Don’t Sit or Lay Down for Too Long
Gentle Stretching or Foam Rolling
Deep Breathing Exercises
Take a Break from Intense Exercise and Try Going for a Walk
Visit a Doctor
Look for an orthopedic or pain management doctor. Naturopaths and Functional Medicine practitioners are also very helpful when it comes to reducing inflammation in your body.
See a Physical Therapist
Find a Massage Therapist – specializing in orthopedic, medical, or myofascial therapy
Visit a Chiropractor
Discover Acupuncture for pain relief
Distract Your Brain
Meditation is proven to relax the nervous system which in turn will reduce your response to pain. In addition, listening to soothing music and sounds also helps to distract your thoughts.
Work on a Positive Mindset
It is not easy to stay positive while in pain. However, having positive thoughts will help in battling chronic pain. Check out this Positive Mindset Workbook!
Seek out a Supportive Community
Finding like-minded people who understand struggling with pain is helpful. It is always nice to talk with people who know what you are going through and get it. Join us in theSimple Self-Care & Stress Solutions Facebook group and belong to a caring and welcoming community!
Say Healthy Affirmations & Prayers
Proverbs 17:22 “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”
Philippians 4:8 “Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”
Eat an Anti-Inflammatory Diet
Stay away from processed and sugary foods and drinks. These cause inflammation and will limit your ability to heal. Eating whole healthy foods will help in the healing process. Check out these Healthy Eating Tips.
There are plenty of options when it comes to relieving back pain. In my experience, it is best to try more than one treatment to find the most relief. However, trying one thing at a time to see what works and what doesn’t is smart. If you continue to have no relief it is best to be checked out by a healthcare professional. There are options to get x-rays and other imaging tests to confirm if there is something more serious going on.
Take care of yourself and find what works for you. Don’t give up and don’t let anyone tell you that you just have to live with pain. There is an answer for you out there! Be an advocate for yourself.
Check out these posts about Healing and Self-Care.
Jill DeMasi is a Lifestyle Blogger, Licensed Massage Therapist, and Certified Wellness Coach with a passion for helping others manage stress, chronic pain, and anxiety. Learn more about her journey and wellness practice that offers natural solutions to stress at www.AtTheHeartofWellness.com.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. All opinions are my own.
What Are Your Intentions?
Have you put some thought into what your intentions are? This is the time of year that many give up on their goals and resolutions. It is easy to fall back into old habits. The trick is to remind yourself daily what your intentions and goals are. Writing them down in a journal or planner is the first step in making progress. You will find that reading them over once daily is very beneficial and will help you remember your why!
The First 20 Days of Intentions
Here are the links to the first 20 intentions in case you missed these posts!
After reviewing the past 30 days of intentions, there were certain ones that really stuck out to me and made me reflect on my behaviors and habits. I decided to highlight these and really make an effort to make some lasting changes.
Remember my accomplishments and be proud of the positive things I have done in life so far.
Express myself more and react in a positive way and get out of my comfort zone.
Be consistent with healthy eating and daily exercise.
Work on a positive mindset and body image.
Say positive affirmations daily OUTLOUD!
Remember what my dreams are and not give up on them… like traveling around the world!
Continue to follow inspirational and spiritual leaders to help reduce anxiety and fear.
Your Next Steps
If you haven’t done this already, grab a journal and write out your answers to all 30 days of intentions. Then review it once daily to remember what you want to change about your life. Choose a few things to work on at a time.
Keep reminding yourself that things will get better in time. This will take effort. You deserve to be the best version of yourself and live a happy and fulfilling life! Here’s to making small changes each day that will improve your mindset and help you realize your purpose and passions in life.
xoxo
Jill DeMasi is a Lifestyle Blogger, Licensed Massage Therapist, and a Certified Wellness Coach with a passion for helping others manage stress, chronic pain, and anxiety. Learn more about her journey and wellness practice that offers natural solutions to stress at www.AtTheHeartofWellness.com.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. All opinions are my own.
Have you thought about what your self-care plan will look like this year? It is a good time of year to reflect on any changes you want to make in your life to become a better version of yourself. We all need to improve in some areas of our lives. There is nothing wrong with taking a look at what you can do better.
Whatever it may be, I promise that having some intentions set up will help you reach your goals that much faster. Need to make more time to take care of yourself? I know that is a big question which most of us will answer…yes but HOW!
The first step in making any lasting change is to be aware of what needs to be different. Journaling is a very therapeutic exercise and helps to uncover answers you may be in need of. In my last post, I wrote about the first 10 days of the Intentions challenge from Gratitude Glass Jars that we recently finished in my private self-care Facebook group.
We are starting another challenge in my Facebook group on February 8th called the30 Day Healthy Habits Challenge. I will be sharing simple habits to enhance living a healthy lifestyle. Our Facebook group is a supportive and friendly community. This challenge offers lots of motivation, delicious recipes, and a simple step-by-step plan to reach your goals.
Now that you have these 20 questions, take some time and write your answers in a journal. After that, try to get some alone time to really reflect on how your self-care plan can improve. Stay tuned for the last 10 intention questions coming up in my next post. Stay positive and believe that you are worthy of some regular self-care!
xoxo
Jill DeMasi is a Lifestyle Blogger, Licensed Massage Therapist, and a Certified Wellness Coach with a passion for helping others manage stress, chronic pain, and anxiety. Learn more about her journey and wellness practice that offers natural solutions to stress at www.AtTheHeartofWellness.com.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. All opinions are my own.
What are your self-care intentions for this new year? We all need to think about adding some self-care to our schedules at least a few days per week. This doesn’t have to be time-consuming! It can be as simple as a 10-minute break from your daily life. You would be surprised what you can accomplish in a day when it’s planned out more efficiently! In other words, time management skills are a must to learn in order to get the most out of the day and fit in some me-time. This is still a work in progress for me and not so easy to do.
When I was thinking about what I can do to step up my own self-care intentions, I landed on allowing myself to accept help and enjoy some little gifts. It makes you feel good when you allow that in your life instead of giving constantly. It is ok. You are worth it.
Reflecting on My Self-Care Intentions
Writing my thoughts down is always so helpful when it comes to figuring out what I need to do and how I can improve. I keep it simple. For example, I write out a few goals for myself that aren’t too overwhelming but something that will keep me accountable. After reflecting a while on what I need this year, the first thing that popped into my head was this thought…DON’T BE SO HARD ON YOURSELF!
I tend to put a lot of pressure on myself to eat healthy, exercise, and live that healthy lifestyle because, after all, I am a Wellness Coach. It can get overwhelming at times, to be honest. Then I get anxious and it’s a vicious cycle. Mindset is at the top of my list to work on this year.
In addition, I want to focus on my health and allow myself to be in the present moment. VERY hard to do when you are an introvert and think way too much about every little thing! One day at a time. That’s all we can do.
An Enjoyable Self-Care Practice
Part of my self-care practice this year is indulging in some extra gifts that help me feel pampered. I started receiving TheraBox subscription boxes as a gift for Christmas and I am in love! It is pretty budget-friendly and worth every penny. Every month you receive a box full of goodies to enjoy such as beauty products, accessories, and a happiness boosting activity. This one is a top trending box and now I know why.
The box comes with a guide describing in detail what the products are.
Last month I received a hydrating serum, truffle cleansing oil, sugar polish, cute beanie, silk robe, makeup sponge, and hair mask. Last month’s happiness boosting activity was a box of intention cards from Gratitude Glass Jars. In addition, I received a reflection workbook to write goals and intentions for the new year. I can’t wait for this month’s box to arrive!
A New Self-Care Facebook Group
Because I love to give back, I wanted to share my knowledge and expertise in a new way. I have been wanting to start a Facebook group for a while. I finally got the courage to do it and am enjoying it so much! My plan is to offer a safe place to discuss self-care and stress management and build a fun and supportive community for women.
That box of intention cards in my Therabox was so inspiring I decided to use them for a challenge in my private Facebook group. I plan on having lots of new challenges and inspirational info to share within the group in the future as well. It is never too late to join!
This challenge has been so thought-provoking and intense but fun! Therefore, I wanted to share it in 3 parts because there is a lot of ground to cover. Grab a journal and take some time to reflect on your answers. You may just find an answer you have been searching for!
The First 10 Intentions
Day 1 – Joy
What is 1 thing you can do to find more joy? How often will you make this happen?
Day 2 – Energy
What gives you energy?
Day 3 – Gifts
What are your personal gifts? Are you implementing them into daily life?
Day 4 – Needs
What important needs do you have that are not being met? How can you receive them going forward?
Day 5 – Nurture
What are your favorite ways to nurture yourself mentally, physically, spiritually? Are you doing these regularly?
Day 6- Values
What values are important to you? Are you living in ways not aligned to these values?
Day 7- Pride
What are you proud of achieving in your life to date? Do you remind yourself of your accomplishments?
Day 8 – Relationships
Do you surround yourself with positive or negative people? Are they adding benefit to your life?
Day 9 – Desires
What are your most burning desires? Are you fulfilling them?
Day 10 – STOP
What do you need to stop worrying about? What steps will you take to let go?
The first step in becoming a better version of yourself is to ask these tough questions. And then after reflecting you are equipped to take some action to make changes if needed. Take the time you need to discover what is holding you back from living an enjoyable and positive life. We are all in need of some self-love. It will help to cope with stressful times. Plus, when you love yourself it is easy to love others. And we need more love in our world today.
Stay tuned for another 10 self-care intentions coming up in my next post. Until then… don’t be hard on yourself and be grateful for what you have already.
Find the subscription box that fits your needs! Check out the hundreds of options. Start here!
xoxo
Jill DeMasi is a Lifestyle Blogger, Licensed Massage Therapist, and a Certified Wellness Coach with a passion for helping others manage stress, chronic pain, and anxiety. Learn more about her journey and wellness practice that offers natural solutions to stress at www.AtTheHeartofWellness.com.
