Have you ever thought that all the things you do to take care of your body is a way of loving and nurturing yourself? Are you worth it?

“Of course I’m worth it!” you say. And I say that too, but my actions don’t always show it. I get so caught up in the demands of life and what I think is important, that sometimes I don’t take time to really care for my body –- I wait until the last minute so I only have time to jump in the shower, give my hair a quick blow-dry, and I’m good to go.

Although there’s nothing at all wrong with the quick routines we create for ourselves, if we make ourselves a priority, we can often carve out a bit more time from our schedule. Then, our body care routines become a source of nurturing and not just maintenance. For myself, I know I actually do have time to slow down and take more time to enjoy taking care of myself.

So, if you need to put caring for yourself higher on your “To Do” list…whether you have time for a long, luxuriating body care treatment, or only a brief, basic one, here are a few suggestions:

The Bath

There’s something very different about “bathing” as opposed to taking a shower. It doesn’t have to be a long bath, and sure, you might have to do a quick tub cleaning, but after that it’s just filling it up and climbing in. Whether you use plain water, Epsom salts or fancier bath salts or essential oils, it’s a relaxing and nurturing experience at the end of a long day or anytime.

The Facial

Depending on how much time you have, a facial can be a few steps done quickly, or a leisurely process with more steps. Steam your face or apply a warm washcloth to your face and neck for a few minutes. Use a creamy facial cleanser to remove the daily grim and tension, massaging your facial muscles at the same time. Follow with an exfoliating treatment, a mask if you have time, and then apply your favorite moisturizer or night cream.

The Manicure and Pedicure

Giving yourself the full-blown treatment is wonderful if you have the time, but even if you don’t you can find little things to do that only take minutes:

Hands: wash hands with warm water and a non-drying hand soap, taking a few minutes to massage the muscles and push back the cuticles. Then use a facial or body scrub to do a quick exfoliation, rinse, pat almost-dry and massage in hand cream.

Feet: Could take a little longer but well worth it -- a quick soak in a tub of hot water, use a body scrub all over the feet, rinse, slather on a heavy cream or Body Butter, prop up your feet and enjoy a good movie and a cup of tea.

Time -- nothing says I love you like spending time -- this means spending time caring for your body too!