The Importance of Checking in With Yourself
Are you checking in with yourself a few times a day, every day? Admittedly, I struggled with this quite a bit before incorporating mindfulness practices into my day. So often, I’d start the day with good intentions and hopes of being healthier. But after a single setback or distraction in the day, I’d quickly feel defeated, and I’d push my goals to tomorrow. Here, I’ll share more about why I value these self-check-ins and how I’ve made them part of my daily routine.
A look at my life before I implemented this healthy habit into my daily routine
So often I’d go to bed with the best of intentions for the next day. Tomorrow, I’ll be kinder than I was today to myself and to those around me. I’ll give my dog more attention. I’ll wake up earlier. I’ll eat better. I’ll move my body more. “Tomorrow me” is going to totally kick butt.
Ridiculously, I expected my body to somehow wake up and be completely transformed simply because it’s a new day.
Even if I started the next morning feeling in alignment with the (completely unachievable) goals I set for myself the night before, something would inevitably throw me off. Then, showing up in the world in the way that I wanted to show up felt unattainable.
Afterall, how could I grow as a person and show the world the “new me” if I still had my same old, bad habits?
Before I knew it, the day was half over, and I felt so far from what I set out to accomplish in terms of personal goals & values for the day.
“Tomorrow will be better,” I’d tell myself.
And the cycle continued.
That is, until I started checking in with myself a few times a day, every day.
Build a routine: How to start checking in with yourself each day
These mini check-ins are so easy to incorporate into your day. They’re small, inspiring habits that help you feel more aligned with your true self and help you show up in the world in the way that you want to.
Simply take a few minutes a few times a day, each day to check-in with yourself. Ask yourself questions like: How am I feeling today? What does my body need more or less of? What am I grateful for? What do I have the power to change in this moment? What action can I take to be more aligned with my values or goals for today?
I’m not perfect. I’m extremely type-A and detail-oriented, and I set ridiculous goals for myself on a regular basis. Oh, and I have the worst inner critic that loves to point out all my shortcomings. My inner critic is loud.
Mini check-ins with myself a few times each day have helped immensely with my mindfulness, setting my intentions for the day, and feeling like I’m making progress towards living in alignment with what’s important to me and how I want to show up in the world. Personally, I enjoy doing my check-ins when I pour a glass of water for myself. I take a few minutes to check-in with myself while I’m also hydrating my body. Win, win!
Have compassion with yourself & stick to your new habit
Of course, with any lifestyle change or new habit, incorporating these check-ins into my day and actually sticking with them has taken time, and they’re still a work in progress. But I’m doing them! And that means that I’m taking time for myself. Baby steps are still steps!
Remember, you don’t have to wait until tomorrow to start being the person you want to be. Get yourself a glass of water and take a few moments right now to check-in with yourself and practice some self-compassion. You’ve got this!