Episode 98: Eight Simple Ways To Show Love To Yourself and Those Around You

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[00:00:00] Natalie: feeling loved and appreciated. It's essential for our happiness and wellbeing, but how do we show ourselves and those around us love and affection in meaningful ways? In this episode, we explore practical tips and ideas for demonstrating love in our daily lives. So grab a cozy blanket, sit back, get ready to be inspired.

[00:00:20] I'm talking all about spreading love and positivity, and it's gonna be a good one.

[00:00:55] Natalie: Hi everyone. It's Natalie. February is a special month as it's the month of love, [00:01:00] right? I know it's not easy for everyone, but love doesn't have to mean romance. As busy women, it can be difficult to find time for love, but it's important to make time for the people and the things that matter most. To us today, I'd like to share some ways for us to love ourselves and those around us.

[00:01:19] It's just me today, no guest. And this is a topic I think we women often overlook. In fact, we spend a lot of time loving in the ways society tells us to love, which is often to take care of everyone else, but to overlook ourselves. So I'm gonna give you eight ways to show love today, and you are gonna love this episode.

[00:01:42] Please share it so that those you care about, your family and your friends can grow and learn along with us.

[00:01:49] So here we go first, love your health. What does that mean? Well, it can mean a lot of things, but let's start with the basics, okay? Take care of your [00:02:00] body. Eat healthy, exercise. Get enough sleep. I know it can be hard to find the time, but when will you finally make the time? Even just 10 to 15 minutes? We all have that somewhere in our day. The other day I got frustrated with the project that I was working on. I grabbed my coat. Got the dog and a leash went outside, walked around the block. I got 15 minutes of exercise.

[00:02:25] So when you feel like you're frustrated or maybe you're about ready to grab that cookie, grab a piece of fruit instead, go out on a quick walk. Clear your mind. Get that exercise. Get your blood flowing. I know it's easier said than done, but just remind yourself of this episode, loving yourself and how much better you are going to feel.

[00:02:46] if you love yourself enough to make those decisions and feel better. Loving yourself also means getting enough sleep. Look back at some of my past episodes because sleep, diet, and exercise, those are [00:03:00] topics I cover often and I have some experts that I know you will get some great tips from loving your health.

[00:03:06] Taking the time to listen to podcasts to help yourself. Last month, my theme was self-care. Maybe you saw some of my posts on Instagram, on TikTok, or on my blog or my website. If not, check those out. I hope when we talk about love, you can really prioritize loving yourself, loving your health, and taking the time to really care for yourself.

[00:03:30] All right, next up. Number two, love your faith. Do you prioritize your faith? I have found in hard times and in everyday life when I let my time with God slip, I feel the pressures of the world and that is a heavy load and not a load. You need to carry by yourself.

[00:03:50] Your time with God is precious love. Nurture it. Here's some suggestions. Bible before phone. This is my new thing that [00:04:00] I do every morning before I pick up my phone. I come and I have quiet time. It's a new ritual that I have grown to really love. I get up, I grab the coffee that I put in the coffee maker the night before, and I had set to go off at 6:00 AM so I.

[00:04:13] Smell it right when I wake up, I sit in my peaceful little corner with some low light and a blanket, and me two dogs, of course, and I open up my Bible or my devotional book. It's the most beautiful way to start the day, and it really sets the tone for my day. Sometimes it's just 10 minutes. Other times I find something that sparks my curiosity and I end up.

[00:04:37] For a full hour, sometimes just a half an hour. It's really how much time I have. I set my alarm in the morning to go off early enough that I have that flexibility to have that time. But I have to tell you that doing this has really created a new piece in my life. It's like, Stretching before you work out.

[00:04:57] It's setting the tone for your day. I [00:05:00] often take a picture of something that I've read and I send it to my friends or often my family group text My girls who are often college, they always react and I know that. Even if it's just for a flash moment that they see that text, that it gives them peace in their day as well.

[00:05:17] I'm gonna talk in just a minute about family and loving your family in this way, and I hope you can take time, first of all for number two, which is to love your faith.

[00:05:26] All right, you're gonna like this next one, or maybe you won't, but I hope you do. It's not easy, but learn to love it and you will see a change.

[00:05:35] Love your boundaries. So let's set healthy limits for yourself. Setting boundaries. It's crucial for taking care of ourselves and our families as well. Here's how we can set healthy boundaries. Communicate your needs and your expectations very clearly, and let me remind you, I've said it before, but let me remind you, it's okay to say no.[00:06:00]

[00:06:00] Take time for yourself and do things that make you happy Last. Here's an example. I was invited to a dinner about an hour away. So I knew it was gonna be an hour travel time, a couple hour dinner, an hour coming back, and the weather was terrible. The bonus was that it was with a great friend and with a group of women that I haven't met, but I was hoping to connect with as I knew this was gonna be super, for my podcast and a group of women.

[00:06:27] I knew I would enjoy meeting, but I had this nagging feeling as I. . I had other responsibilities and it was gonna take me away from my family on a weeknight. So I knew it would mean me falling behind in work, and I felt like I was letting my friend down if I didn't go to this dinner. However, I reminded myself of my boundaries and loving my boundaries.

[00:06:49] I knew where they were, however, I felt that feeling. I know a lot of you. Obligation. So here's what I did. I texted my friend, I told her I was overwhelmed last [00:07:00] week, but I didn't wanna let her down. I told her how much I loved her and I asked for a rain check. I set my boundary in a loving way, and I was honest about it.

[00:07:09] Sometimes that means saying I don't have the capacity for that right now, and it's okay to do that. It's okay to say no.

[00:07:17] Okay, coming up next, this is a big one for many of us, right? Love your mental health. That's number four. It's so important for us to prioritize our mental wellbeing as busy women. For some reason, we all tend to put ourselves last.

[00:07:34] We check in on everyone else. We make sure everyone else is okay. We get people in our family therapists if we need them. We feed them. We do everything except take care of ourselves. However, let me remind you, I know you've heard this before. , but you can't take care of others if you haven't taken care of yourself first, and that's especially important with our mental health.

[00:07:54] Here's some ways that you can do that. Take time to do things that make you [00:08:00] happy. Is it nature? Is it reading? Is it just a movie away from everything? Is it music? Maybe it's just lunch with a friend. Take that time. Be open, be vulnerable about what you need. Be open about how you were struggling, communicate your feelings.

[00:08:18] Find a support system. Process those feelings with someone so they don't get shoved down. Love your mental health and be honest about it.

[00:08:28]

[00:08:31] Natalie: I wanna take a minute to tell you about one of the ways I keep my family healthy. I've been a customer of seeking health for several years, and I'm constantly amazed by the positive impact their products have had on overall health and wellbeing. From the very beginning, the team at Seeking Health has been dedicated to helping me build a strong foundation for my health through their focus on optimizing digestion, reducing environmental exposures, and nourishing my.

[00:08:59] Pure [00:09:00] high quality supplements. They've provided me with the tools and the knowledge I need to support my body's natural healing systems, and I have seen significant improvements in my energy immune function and overall sense of wellbeing. A few of my favorites, active magnesium, the glutathione plus, plus immune intensive.

[00:09:21] Also the electrolytes we put in our water in our. All great products, and those are just a few. I'm grateful to the team at Seeking Health for their passion for prevention and their consistent commitment to helping with my family's health. If you're looking to take control of your health and build a strong foundation for your wellbeing, I highly recommend seeking Health.

[00:09:43] You can get more information and a discount code by going to natalie tisdel.com/. Look for the Seeking Health logo and that discount code. Again, natalie tis.com/favorites. The link is in the show notes.

[00:09:59] [00:10:00]

[00:10:03] Natalie: Now that we've talked about loving ourselves, loving our health, loving our wellbeing, loving our boundaries, all of those things,

[00:10:09] let's love on our families. Okay, here are a few strategies for showing love and affection to your children.

[00:10:16] Kids of all ages. They need to feel loved. They need to feel valued and important. Naturally, this strengthens our bonds with our kids, so let's make time for them, even if it's just a few minutes a day. Spend some time with your kids. Give them your full attention. Phones down. Eyes on each other. I know it's funny that we talk all day and often we don't look in each other's eyes.

[00:10:42] Maybe it's your in the car when you're talking to your kids or maybe you're on a walk or playing a game. We don't always make eye contact, but that is so, so valuable in helping your kids feel loved. Might feel a little bit funny at first, however. . It is powerful. Your teenagers might [00:11:00] actually be very dismissive of this or reluctant, but try it for just a few minutes, just a few minutes of face-to-face conversation and see what topics come up.

[00:11:09] Here's another strategy that I love. My family. We've been doing this for many, many years. We kind of joke about it, but again, it's very powerful and we call it the seven second hug, and here's what it is. When you give anyone a. , but let's talk specifically about our families right now. When you give your kids a hug, how long do you hold onto them?

[00:11:28] Think about it and count. It's usually a second or two seconds, but actually hug them for seven seconds through the discomfort of, uh, are you gonna let go? Because there's something that happens in that second five, six, and seven that's really. So you can even tell them, seven second hug please. And then hold on and count.

[00:11:52] that's when you really make a connection. I also have a free download I've created. It's called 20 Ways to Make Your [00:12:00] Kids Feel Loved. I'm gonna link that in the show notes for you. Again, it's free, and If nothing else, it just gives you a few other ideas to help your kids feel.

[00:12:11] number six, love your spouse. Might seem like an easy one, right? Well, this is where we think of love in the month of February and romance. Let's not skip it though. Let's dive right into it. Let's talk about maintaining a strong and healthy marriage. It's important for the wellbeing of both partners.

[00:12:30] and also for the family as a whole. When our kids see that our marriages are strong, that sets them up for strong relationships when they get older. So a few things to think about. Communicate open and honest. Okay. So easy to say, right? But talk about your feelings. Talk about your needs.

[00:12:50] Talk about your concerns. Also, let's not be afraid to show that physical affection, even when you're grumpy or maybe you're holding [00:13:00] something back and that's not when you wanna give that hug. Sometimes when you give that hug, that seven second hug, it gets you through those grumpy or harder times.

[00:13:09] Give your spouse kisses. Hold hands sometimes we forget to do that after I've been married almost 28 years, and give those hugs, make time for each other, even. Just a few minutes a day. Spend time with your spouse. Be willing to ask your spouse, what can I do to help you today? I have found that that is a really great way to show love, and sometimes it takes our loved ones by surprise.

[00:13:35] When you just stop and you say, what can I do to show you love today?

[00:13:39] Number seven, let's love our community. Finding support from other busy moms and making those connections can be a really great way to show love back to our community.

[00:13:50] Because being a woman, being a mom, it can be isolating, but it's important to find a community of other people who understand what you're going [00:14:00] through. , join a mom's group. Maybe it's a club, attend play dates. Maybe it's another social event that you don't feel like going to, but you're gonna set aside the time to do it and make other things work around it so that you can connect with other women who are also struggling with the same things.

[00:14:17] Again, making those connections, sharing those stories, and finding ways to connect with them or give each other ideas for how you are getting through some tough times. Can. So, so beneficial connection, the key for you, and loving your community.

[00:14:34] All right. Lastly, love your life. Being a mom, being a working woman, it can be rewarding, but it can also be so hard sometimes to find that joy and that fulfillment.

[00:14:46] When we're always on the go, it's easy to fall into the cycle of feeling sad or feeling sorry for ourselves, maybe envious of what other people have find so, each and every day that you love. Take note of [00:15:00] those things. Maybe it's a gratitude journal or just a sticky note by your desk. Write down every day.

[00:15:06] The things that you love in your life. It might start with the beauty of the sunrise or the fresh air, or watching your children sleep, or your healthy breakfast. Whatever it is, there is always something that you can love about your life and that you can feel grateful for. You can turn around negativity by focusing on what you do love about your life.

[00:15:29] Most importantly, make time for that gratitude. Make time to love your. I hope this has been helpful to you. I am so grateful for all of you and your love means the world to me that you listen. Be sure to follow along on social media for more, and I can't wait to talk to you again next week.