Last week, I was on a call when someone asked:

How do I show up for myself other than on my self-care day?

That question has stuck with me because it's at the core of my work...and I don't think we talk about enough.

We treat self-care like something we put on the calendar for later. The massage, the day off, the retreat, the digital detox. And I love those things. But if that's the only place your self-care lives, it's not enough.

That's like waiting until your car is running on fumes to put gas in it. Or waiting until your phone is completely drained to charge it up.

We usually (notice I said usually!) don't do that. We fill the car up before it hits empty. We charge the phone when it's getting low.

I think a lot of the time, we do notice the “low fuel” signs. We just override them.

We feel our patience getting shorter. We know when we're overstimulated and what we really need is food, movement, quiet, or a little less input.

But we answer ourselves with later.

I'll rest after this project. I'll slow down when things calm down.

But here's the thing about later: it keeps moving.

There's always another project, and things rarely calm down on their own.

Let's take the next few months, for example. Work often ramps up, year-end projects pile on, the holidays arrive, and everything gets busier.

So maybe now, before the pace picks up, is the time to ask:

What does taking care of myself look like on an ordinary Tuesday?

Not the big version of self-care. The everyday one.

Maybe it's stepping outside for a few minutes, or not grabbing your phone first thing in the morning. Maybe it's eating lunch away from your desk, taking a few deep breaths after each meeting ends, or coloring for ten minutes. Or maybe it's saying no to someone or something.

Self-care doesn't have to be an event. It can (and should!) be the way you move through your day.

My invitation for you this week:

As you look at the rest of this year, ponder this...

How do I want to show up for myself on an ordinary day?

If you need some ideas, check out my latest video on YouTube: What Do We Mean by Self-Care?