Ep. 121 Holy Habits: Summer Self-Care for Busy Mom

[00:00:00] For the last couple of weeks, we have been talking about how to create a joy-filled summer. A summer that not only our kids will enjoy and, I don't know, hopefully find memorable, but also a summer that we as moms can feel good about.

[00:00:18] And today we are going to be wrapping up that joy-filled summer series with something that I think can often be easily overlooked, but really essential when it comes to summer, and that is still making our self-care a priority. Like, I get it. I know you're thinking, I don't have time for the perfect summer pedicure or, you know, time for bubble baths or long walks on the beach.

[00:00:42] And that is not what this is about. It is not what I mean. Today we're going to talk about that kind of self-care that is not only realistic, but 100% Christ-centered. A plan that fits your actual life, the calm and chaos balance of summer, and one that really promotes enjoying your summer fun while also allowing you to stay grounded in how God is calling you to care for yourself.

[00:01:12] So, come and join me in today's podcast episode as we wrap up our joy-filled summer series. Welcome to the Nourished to Bloom podcast, where your faith meets your health. I'm your host, Kara Trochta, a registered dietitian and certified Catholic coach, and I'm here to help you cultivate a deeper connection with your body, your spirit, and the nourishment that sustains them both.

[00:01:35] In a world filled with noise and confusion about food, health, and body image, this podcast offers truth and healing from a Christ-centered perspective. Together, we'll untangle the deep roots of diet culture and discover what it means to truly care for ourselves through joyful nourishment of mind, body, and soul. We're here to dive into the transformative power of intuitive eating coupled with the rich teachings of our Christian faith.

[00:02:02] With every episode, I'll be cheering you on, offering insights, inspiration, and practical tools to help you heal your relationship with food and embrace the beauty of your body as a temple of the Holy Spirit with confidence and courage that can only be found in Christ. Join me as we journey together towards a more holistic approach to wellness, one that honors the wisdom of your body as God's creation, the teachings of our faith, and the unique purpose you're called to fulfill.

[00:02:32] You were made to bloom, to come into full beauty and health in order to bear good fruit for the Lord with your life. So if you're ready to nourish your soul, feed your soul, and bloom into the best version of yourself, then you're in the right place and I'm so happy you're here. Welcome to Nourish to Bloom, where every day is a sacred invitation to thrive. Hey there, welcome back to the Nourish to Bloom podcast.

[00:02:59] So happy to be spending some time with you here today. We are actually in our last couple of days of school and man, are we all feeling it. The kids are craving being able to sleep in. Our temperatures have started to soar through the 90s and everybody is just done. And so there's that just anticipation that comes with summer.

[00:03:26] And the idea that I think we probably all like of, oh, it's summer, let's say no schedule. But then we also get two weeks into it and are just like, yeah, I can't live this way for another seven weeks. And so today we're really going to be focusing on self-care. In our joy-filled summer series, we really opened it up in episode 61 where we were talking about creating that summer vibe.

[00:03:54] That idea of what we want this summer to feel like. That one word emotion that we can tap into that's going to drive our decisions. And in last week's episode, episode 62, we really talked about that summer planning pyramid that will really allow you to create kind of this divine rhythm to your days. Where you don't have to be rigidly scheduled, but just something that keeps the days kind of flowing some consistency.

[00:04:23] Because I think that we have likely all realized that as much as we want to throw all of the structure out the window when it comes to summer, that it doesn't benefit us and it doesn't benefit our kids. I think it creates this mindset of kind of unpredictability. And I think when we have a little bit of that unpredictability, our mind just wonders. We can't function really well.

[00:04:53] And as I'm saying this, I'm really thinking about my middle child who he does not do well when we do not have any sort of structure. So that was really what last week was about was just kind of that summer planning pyramid. What are some of those essentials that we need to have in place? And that's based off of, you know, that foundational value and those characteristics that we really want to center and anchor our summer around.

[00:05:18] And then really those sprinkles on the top of those extra fun things that we're working into summer. And that leads us to today where we're really going to talk about you and taking care of you this summer. Because if we're being honest, we are the wheel that makes summer go round for our children, for our families.

[00:05:42] We, you know, we're the ones who plan the vacation, who plan the outings, who still have to meal plan and cook every meal. And summer can be harder because now we're like responsible for, you know, not only breakfast and dinner, but now lunch too. And I think we gravitate towards summer. We want that slower routine. We want that intentionality.

[00:06:05] But kind of being stuck in this, all the like must do's, I think, or the extra things that maybe get added to our plate because our kids are not in school anymore can, you know, really cause us to burn out really quickly. And that's why I wanted to spend today to kind of focus on self-care and Christ-centered self-care and really how we can incorporate so many of those characteristics into our summer.

[00:06:33] And really at this point right now, before we get into the start of summer and the thick of it, really be able to take some time and plan out what our self-care is going to look like. Because we have to reevaluate it. We are not in our school year. So our schedule has changed, right? And so that means that we naturally have to have some shifts, some ebbs and flows, reevaluate and offer a new perspective to our self-care as we're going into summer.

[00:07:01] And I really want to start off with the fact that as we're sitting here and we're talking about self-care, and I feel like I'm going to say this again and again and again because I think it's something that is so foundationally important to remember, that self-care is not indulgent and it is not selfish. Instead, I really want to invite you to create this mindset shift that self-care is about stewardship.

[00:07:32] It's about you taking care of your body, mind, and spirit as a whole person. And that God created you with these needs and with the tools to be able to meet these needs. And we can look at Jesus because he modeled this for us. Even Jesus paused to eat, to rest, to pray, and retreat.

[00:08:01] And that wasn't weakness. We don't see that as weakness. We can instead really see that as wisdom of him being self-aware, of him fully embodying and living in his human body and caring for it because he knew that he had a mission that he had to complete here on earth.

[00:08:22] And he had to be fueled and rested and rejuvenated and nourished in order to fulfill that mission. And so we have to start to believe that we have to do those same things for ourselves. And this is really about creating that divine rhythm. So let's look through what it looks like to take care of your body and your mind and your soul in practical ways this summer.

[00:08:50] And I've really broken this down into kind of five key areas. Consistent fueling, joyful movement, emotional self-care, spiritual nourishment, and then really how to handle boredom eating from a stance of curiosity and grace. So we're going to start with really this idea of consistent fueling, of really nourishing yourself, that balanced nourishment that we talk about.

[00:09:19] And so that's why we're going to talk about food first. Because like I said, summer can be wild. It throws off our routines. It seems like one week we are going 90 to nothing between camps or vacation. And then the next week we're all sitting at home and we're like, okay, I don't know what to do with ourselves, right? But when this happens, it gets really easy for us to end up maybe skipping meals or just surviving on coffee and goldfish.

[00:09:47] And then really wondering why we may be feeling sluggish and short-fused. Does this sound like something you've experienced in the past? Because I know it's something that I've done in the past, right? Where it's like our kids need something constantly and then our needs get kind of put on that back burner. And so we don't need to be put on the back burner and kind of ignore our kids to fulfill our needs.

[00:10:13] But instead I want you to think about it like everybody's needs are being met at the same time, right? Like you're cooking the whole meal at the same time. Nothing's on that back burner. Because remember that your body is not a machine. It's also not a project. It is a vessel for holy work. Really stop and think about that. Your body is the way that you live out the holy work that you were called to.

[00:10:42] And because of that, it needs consistent care. And I really want to remind you that you deserve to eat. Not just when everything else is done. Not just when your body starts yelling and hunger because you've gotten to that point of being hangry. But you deserve and need to fuel your body consistently. Because God gave you that body as a way to live out your purpose and your unique mission.

[00:11:12] So I want to offer you a quick mindset shift here as we get into the summer. So rather than asking, what should I eat? Instead, really ask yourself, what would help me feel nourished and sustained for what's ahead today? Because that allows you to really be intentional about what you're going to fuel your body with.

[00:11:37] It also allows you a quick way to plan ahead to just kind of take a really quick overview of what you have going on. And then intentionally saying, okay, if I eat this and I have this meal, then I'm going to be nourished. I'm going to be fueled. I'm going to be able to keep up with whatever today is going to throw at me. And so some simple things that you can do is remembering to eat something that is balanced.

[00:12:02] That includes some protein, some carbohydrates, maybe some fiber, some healthy fats, roughly every three to four hours. Now, of course, we really want to honor those hunger cues. And we don't want to wait until you're starving. So really being able to tap into, and maybe you are at a point where you've been good about this, but then the chaos of May, you really have kind of been ignoring those hunger and fullness cues.

[00:12:28] Summer is a perfect time to reestablish that, to reestablish a tuning into your body. So don't wait until you're starving. And a good rule of thumb is trying to eat every three to four hours. But if you're feeling hungry before that, then definitely go ahead and fuel yourself because you don't want to wait until you're starving. And then eat when your kids eat.

[00:12:54] Even if it's just something like a quick wrap or sandwich, maybe it's a smoothie that you made or some leftovers. Because I think sometimes what happens, and I experienced this a lot when my kids were younger and they were home all the time, is that I would make them lunch and I would serve them. And then they would be finished before I would sit down and eat. And then it was like we were on to the next thing. Somebody needed a nap or somebody wanted to play this. And I didn't actually give myself that time to sit down and eat.

[00:13:24] So I really want to challenge you to eat when your kids are eating. So maybe that looks like you actually make your plate first so it's there and it's ready. And then you're making your kids' plates. Or you're doing this as a family and everybody is responsible for making their own plates. It really just depends on what age your kids are at. But just remember that fueling yourself consistently is going to help you reduce irritability, reduce brain fog.

[00:13:53] And yes, it's really going to help prevent that late afternoon carb binge or that late night snacking because you have been depleted. Because you didn't consistently fuel yourself throughout the day. So remember, fuel yourself consistently. Okay, this brings us into our next aspect of joyful movement.

[00:14:18] And I really want to challenge you this summer to release that all or nothing trap around movement. Because like we said, summer often throws off our routines. Maybe we have to put our gym classes on pause. It's 100% too hot by 10 a.m. And the kids are, I mean, let's be honest, always around. So here's your permission to let go of that all or nothing mindset around exercise this summer.

[00:14:44] Because movement doesn't have to be this hour-long sweaty or structured routine in order to count. So what if this summer you really took your movement goal as simply being able to connect with your body and enjoy it? So what does that look like? Maybe that looks like going for family walks in the morning before it gets too hot. Or a family bike ride. I know my kids have always enjoyed that.

[00:15:12] I'm not sure how this summer is going to go because they're all getting to that point where they're starting to sleep much later than they used to. So maybe that looks like family walks after dinner. Maybe it's a 10-minute morning stretch before the kids wake up. Maybe it's just having a dance party in the kitchen in the middle of the afternoon.

[00:15:35] Or maybe it is an at-home workout where it's a quick bodyweight circuit while your kids are enjoying their screen time. Maybe it's just swimming or playing tag with your kids. It's like all of this counts. And the thing is, I don't even want you to focus on how many minutes or whether or not this counts. Just move in a way that feels good.

[00:16:03] Because movement has such a benefit to our mental and emotional well-being. Not just our physical well-being. And I think more so than anything when we get into summer, we really have to find ways to help manage our mental and emotional health. Because I think we can just get so burned out and so wrapped up in the chaos. And let's be honest. Our kids can push our buttons really, really easily when it comes to the summer.

[00:16:31] And we're spending all this time together. Which is beautiful. It's great. But when they've been in school all year long, you're kind of out of that practice. And so movement can really help you be that more patient mom that you want to be this summer. And just let's tie this back to our faith. Like remember that your body, it's this temple. It's not a project. And so really focus on moving your body in order to honor your body.

[00:17:01] Not trying to shrink it. Not trying to look a certain way in a swimsuit this summer. But moving because you're alive. And not to earn any sort of worth. Okay. Let's move on to... I want to move on to this idea of boredom eating. Because I really want to invite you to go deeper and really look at what is behind this craving.

[00:17:31] Because let's be honest. A lot of times, summer equals snacks. All day. Every day. Do you ever want to put a lock on your pantry door to keep your kids out of there? Because sometimes I really do. Because it just seems like it's this constant all-day snacking. And we can fall victim to that too. And I think the real motivating factor behind this is boredom eating. Or emotional grazing. Right? And it's a real struggle.

[00:17:57] When we're grabbing a popsicle out of habit. Or, you know, nibbling on those chips in the afternoon. Or just mindlessly grabbing something out of the pantry. It's so easy to fall into this mindless munching as a way to cope with maybe overstimulation. Or the constant noise. Or even just this sense of loneliness. Or this desire to just have some maybe peace and quiet. But here's the thing.

[00:18:27] Like, I don't want you to feel shame about this at all. You're human. And you're doing a lot. So let go of that judgment. And instead get curious. So if this summer you find yourself being pulled towards the pantry or the refrigerator. Just take a moment and pause. And ask yourself. Am I feeling physically hungry? Do I have those hunger cues in my body? Am I experiencing that? Am I overstimulated?

[00:18:57] Or emotionally undernourished? And then the most powerful one is, what am I really craving? What am I really needing in this moment? Is it connection? Is it peace? Is it quiet? And here's the thing. Maybe you still grab the snack and that's okay. But maybe also just give yourself that deeper care that you are really, really needing. And this leads us into, I think, what is so foundational around summer.

[00:19:27] And I say this because I've experienced it. It's something I find myself still struggling with. But it's like that short fuse of summer, right? Where things are really, really great. And then the kids start fighting. They're wanting more screen time. Or you turn the corner and they're on a device again. And it's like fighting over sunscreen. The constant snap demands.

[00:19:54] And it just builds and builds and builds until you maybe burst, right? And you find yourself just yelling at your kids. And the real thing is that your emotional tank has just been depleted. It is empty. And I want to normalize this. Like you are allowed to have and experience those emotions. Your emotions are clues about what is going on.

[00:20:20] Like you're allowed to feel joy and exhaustion at the exact same time. You're allowed to love your kids unconditionally. But then also wish that they were back in school. Now, that may sound harsh. But I think it's just that human nature. I think our kids experience this too. Where they maybe are kind of tired of us. Where they want some interaction with somebody other than the people who live in their own home. And I think that this is normal.

[00:20:50] So what might help? And this goes for you and your kids. To help them with this emotional self-care this summer. Because I think this is something that is necessary for the whole family. In order to have more peace in your home. In order to really experience that joy-filled summer. So asking, what do I need right now? And that's very different than asking, what needs to get done right now? But asking yourself, what do I need right now?

[00:21:20] Maybe that looks like scheduling daily quiet time. Even if it's just five minutes for yourself. But daily quiet time allows everybody to just kind of decompress and reset. Maybe it's reaching out to friends and saying, hey, can we pray together? Or can we check in weekly this summer? Just check on each other. Allow each other an outlet to vent. Or to talk about what you're really struggling with.

[00:21:49] And that can help prevent you from becoming that kettle or that pot that just boils over. And wreaking emotional havoc on your whole family when that's really not what you wanted to do. Maybe it's just letting go of the guilt that comes up with whatever it is this summer. Too much screen time. Or I don't know, pizza for the second night this week. Or whatever it is, right?

[00:22:17] But just compassion to let go of that guilt. If it helps allow you to have the space to breathe. Because emotional self-care is really, really important. And it's just as much for everyone else's comfort as it is for yours. And that leads us to that spiritual nourishment. It's the big one. It's that anchor of self-care.

[00:22:47] It's going directly to the source of grace and mercy and wisdom and fortitude and knowledge and all the amazing gifts of the Holy Spirit. Because your soul needs that nourishment too. Do not, and I say this because I've personally experienced this, where my spiritual self-care has gone by the wayside.

[00:23:13] Because if we just kind of get into that sleeping in or maybe that laziness of summer. But this one is so important. To really not let your spiritual self-care go by the wayside. So I just want to offer some really simple practical ideas. Maybe it's pick a simple summer scripture and meditate on it one verse per week.

[00:23:38] Maybe it's as simple as listening to worship music during chores and errands. Or maybe it's being intentional about your screen scrolling time. And instead of reaching for your phone, you're reaching for your Bible. And just spending 10 minutes in the Word. And then inviting your kids into this spiritual self-care.

[00:24:04] Making the spiritual self-care a family rhythm and not just something that you do yourself. Because remember, God isn't asking you to be perfect. Just to be present. And remember that he delights in you spending time with him. And you inviting him and allowing him to fill you up just because you took those few minutes to spend that time with him. And so we talked about a lot of things, right?

[00:24:33] We talked about fueling our body, moving joyfully. How to handle that boredom eating. We talked about our emotional self-care and really allowing that anchor of spiritual self-care to be what roots you this summer. And so I really want to help make this feel more doable for you. And so I've created a summer self-care planning sheet.

[00:24:56] And it's a really simple printable that you can, you know, tune into on a daily basis. Maybe you tack it on your fridge or keep it in your planner. And what it is is it's just this one pager. And it gives you space to plan your Christ-centered self-care and wellness activities. It helps you look at how you're going to, like, the goals that you have for the day around self-care, around nourishment, and around movement.

[00:25:27] It allows space for you to focus on a particular scripture verse of the day. It helps you really have a space where you can create a Christ-centered to-do list. You know, really talking with the Lord and asking, Lord, what do you want me to accomplish today? So offering up that holy work to Him and allowing Him to guide the rhythm of your day. And it gives you opportunities of how to check in with your emotions.

[00:25:56] What are you feeling throughout the day? And then a time for you to reflect at the end of the day. Really a space for you to reflect on gratitude for the day. Where did you see God working today? A reflection on, you know, what challenges or obstacles you face that day and how you would maybe handle them differently. And then just an opportunity for you to really think about how you want to go into tomorrow. Right? What are those words?

[00:26:25] What is that emotion that you want to feel? And so I created this one-page simple summer self-care planning sheet just for you. And you can grab that free copy at summer.careattracta.com. Just enter your email. And once you do that, you're going to get that instant download for you to be able to access that summer self-care planning sheet, as well as the summer planning pyramid that we implemented last week.

[00:26:54] And so when you enter your email address, you'll get an instant download of it. But then you're also going to have a copy sent to your email. So you can easily find it this summer when you need to go back and maybe print off a new copy. And so as we kind of close out today and as we close out this creating a joy-filled summer series, I know that it can be easy, especially during the summer, to get caught up in caring for everyone else

[00:27:22] and trying to make it memorable and magical for everyone else. But remember that you matter too. Your wellness, your physical, emotional, and spiritual and mental wellness isn't a luxury. It's the soil from which your joy and your patience, your intentionality, and your present is going to grow. So really take the time to focus on caring for yourself this summer.

[00:27:51] Not out of guilt or obligation, but because you know that you are deeply loved by a God who cares for your whole self. So I thank you for being a part of this joy-filled summer series. It's been a lot of fun to create these episodes and to create these handouts for you. And I hope that you find them beneficial.

[00:28:14] I hope that they really help you start to create some shifts this summer. And so if you would, just take 30 seconds to share them with a friend. Share these episodes with a fellow mom who may need these reminders and these resources. So don't forget, you can go back and listen to episode 61, which was all about creating your summer vibe. Episode 62, which focused on the summer planning pyramid.

[00:28:42] And then this episode is all about creating self-care planning for this summer. So share it with somebody who you know needs it. And until next week, take a deep breath. Focus on nourishing your body, mind, and spirit. And really, really know and embody that you are doing holy work. Like even in that snot-filled chaos of summer that's about to come.

[00:29:10] I hope you have a beautiful and blessed week. Again, thank you for joining me. And until next week, beauty held as a seed. Beauty shared as a flower. It is your time to bloom. We'll talk soon. Bye.