“If you don’t take care of your body, where else are you going to live??”- Trevor Romain

As I write this, I am currently just over a month away from my first baby's due date...

During pregnancy, taking extra good care of yourself becomes one of your top priorities. It becomes sort of a no-brainer and much easier to make as a constant in your every-day life. It also becomes something that other people encourage and don't give you a hard time about for building into your routine. I've taken more bubble baths, naps, gotten more pedicures and massages, cooked with organic foods, hired a house keeper, and slowed down enough to really take in every moment of this pregnancy. Extreme self-care has become my new norm over the past 8+ months, and it’s been wonderful!

But practicing self-care wasn’t always such a big part of my life, and wasn’t always as effortless to incorporate as it is for me now. I know that integrating self-care into your daily life isn’t always something that is encouraged by others, and unfortunately is often looked upon with negativity and judgment. Why should I find it easy and important to make self-care a priority while I'm pregnant, since I can argue that it’s a way I'm taking care of and benefiting my baby, but as soon as I deliver the baby, that same self-care is considered to be a selfish, negative thing? Even though that's what society has made us believe, I couldn't disagree with it more.

As I'm preparing for motherhood, I am highly aware of how difficult it’s going to be to continue to make my own self-care a priority once our little guy arrives. I know that the majority of moms out there struggle to fit in ANY time for themselves, let alone make it a focus in their every-day lifestyle. And many women feel guilty taking time away from their kids or loved ones to focus on self-care for themselves. However, having experienced first-hand how beneficial self-care can be for so many different aspects of my life, I know that I absolutely need to find ways to keep it as a top priority.

The first time I learned about the concept of self-care and the benefits that it can have in your life was just over a year ago. I remember thinking that the idea behind it sounded nice, but I was pretty skeptical about how it would actually work in real life or how realistic it would be to work into my current lifestyle. I was also unconvinced that it would really have that big of an impact. How could working just one bath into my week make me more connected to my body and eat healthier meals? Why would putting fresh flowers in a pretty vase on my desk at work make me happier to work my 9-5 office job? Would spending 10 minutes longer in my morning routine to dry and style my hair really stop all the negative self-talk in my head?

Despite my skepticism, I found little, inexpensive ways to work more self-care into my life, and I was shocked to learn that even the smallest actions can absolutely make an enormous difference. Thinking of things that would make me happy and feel a little luxurious, and working them into my day started to make me respect myself more. I realized that I’m a very worthy individual that deserves to live the most incredible life that I can.

In turn, I started to only want the best for myself and stopped settling for things.

Someone brought grocery store cookies into the office? No thanks- I'll bake some homemade ones and eat one fresh out of the oven- with the chocolate chips still all gooey and melty.
I’m exhausted and have a to-do list that’s a mile long and hanging over my head: I could pound a cup of coffee and force myself forward to get one or two more items checked off my list- but instead I ask my husband for some help with a few items on my list and get in a quick yoga session outside on the porch to relax and refresh.
Old Navy is having a big sale on all of their dresses that fit me just so-so? Instead of buying one because it’s such a great deal, I'll save up for the one dress I've been coveting that makes me look and feel like a million bucks.

By continuously making self-care one of my top priorities, I was able to really tap in to discovering what I really need, and I learned so much about how to differentiate between what truly makes me happy and has the biggest impact, and what things I thought should make me happy but really weren't worth it for me.

A fulfilled, happy, cared for mother who has met all of her needs can focus that much more love and energy on others. So keeping bits of self-care in your every-day routine will ultimately benefit not only you but all of the loved ones around you. Wish me luck as I delve into my new adventure as a mother, trying to keep up with my self-care routine along the way! I’ll be sure to keep you updated on what I learn throughout the process.

Now on to you: This month, I want you to practice incorporating self-care into your life. Think of a few small things that feel really special, over-the-top or luxurious to you and build them into your week. Here are some suggestions:

Wake up 15 minutes earlier to make yourself something delicious and nutritious for breakfast instead of your usual bowl of cereal.
Buy a fancy, yummy-scented lotion to put on for 2 minutes after your shower every morning instead of the basic unscented Lubriderm. (BONUS: As you rub in the lotion thank your body for all of the amazing things it does!)
Ask your husband to tackle the bedtime routine with the kids one night a week so that you can take a bubble bath while you listen to your favorite station on Pandora.
Get away from reading the news on your computer at lunch time and go for a brisk walk outside or take a power nap in your car.

None of these things take much time, or costs much money, but they will absolutely help make your days feel a little more special and indulgent. And hopefully they will also help you to start to realize that you really are worth the time, energy and care. Try one of the above suggestions, or come up with another way to build self-care into your week, and let me know how it goes!

What did you try and how did it impact how you feel about yourself, what you chose to do for the rest of the day/week, or how it changed your interactions with other people? Post it on twitter, instagram, my facebook page, or in a comment below! Be sure to tag me @kimberlyhoye and use the hashtag #healthandhappinessconnection so we can follow along! I can't wait to hear about how you're treating yourself more lovingly and how everyone around you (including you!) is benefiting from it!