Nutrition by Dawn - Blog

My son recently had braces put on his bottom teeth, and if you’re a parent or have had braces yourself, you might have had a similar not-so-pleasant experience. Dinner that night was mostly ice cream which might not be the most nutritious option, but it got me thinking about how we define self-care. For my son’s self-care that night, a yoga session or time spent journaling wouldn’t have been any help to him. What he needed for self-care that night was a bowl of ice cream and some relaxation. 

When we arrived at the ice cream counter, we found a long list of flavors and choices for my son to choose from. He didn’t order what other people were ordering, he ordered exactly what would bring him the most joy. Self-care is just like that. 

There are so many different options for how we take care of ourselves, and how I practice self-care won’t be exactly how you practice self-care. In that way, self-care is just like a bowl of ice cream. 

I try to get my whole family involved in practicing self-care because I think it’s really important that we all prioritize taking care of our needs. To be perfectly honest, my son’s self-care typically involves some form of ice cream or chocolate. My self-care usually looks like sitting outside, reading a book, and enjoying a glass of wine, or going for a walk on a picturesque afternoon. The ways we care for ourselves don’t have to be exactly alike. They just have to be what we need for ourselves. 

When I’m ordering ice cream, chocolate chip cookie dough is typically the flavor that resonates with me. For my son, it’s brownie batter, and for my husband, it’s mint chocolate chip. There’s no one-size-fits-all ice cream, and there isn’t a single kind of self-care that’s the perfect fit for every person. 

Just like ice cream flavors, when it comes to self-care, there are no wrong choices. :)

When it’s time to practice self-care, the best method for choosing your flavor is to take a look in the mirror and consider what’s going to bring you joy and really make a difference in your day. Find what lights you up and makes you feel good, and take care of your own needs for a little while. 

If you’re not already in my Never Diet Again group, join us now for more conversations on the many ways to practice self-care. Click here to join!

What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream? Let me know in the comments! 

We have our September Perfect Pairings coming up soon, so if great wine and great food lights you up, don’t forget to grab your ticket and join us. Save your spot today right here, and invite a friend to join you!