Three Ways Self-Care Draws Moms Closer to God

National Wellness Month begins this week. Sarah Damm suggests three ways Catholic moms can carve out time for their self-care routines.

August is the month of final summer hurrahs: last-minute vacations, trips to the pool, s’mores around the campfire. It’s a month of savoring the carefree, laid-back nature of the summer season.

August is also National Wellness Month, which encourages us to prioritize self-care, reduce stress, and establish healthier habits. Before back-to-school busyness crowds our calendars, the very relaxed nature of August seems like the perfect time for Catholic moms to carve out time to consider their own self-care routines.

How can we take care of ourselves in an authentically Catholic way, in a way that honors God and stewards the gifts He has given to us? How can focusing on our wellness help us to more fully love the Lord and those He has entrusted to our care?

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Three Ways Self-Care Draws Moms Closer to God

Rooted in Scripture, here are three ways to make self-care a holy habit in your daily life.

Abiding in Christ

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12:31)

Loving our neighbor (or our family) begins by loving ourselves, and we can only love ourselves when we first receive the genuine and particular love God has for us as His beloved daughters. Thus, caring for ourselves first begins by caring for our souls and our friendship with God. Ways to do this include:

On a daily basis, carve out time to pray with Scripture or recite the Rosary.
Weekly, attend Mass on another day besides Sunday or make a Holy Hour (or half hour) before a trip to the grocery store.
Once per month, go to Confession, which could also be followed by Mass or Adoration.
Annually, make time for a day of recollection or weekend retreat.

Only when we abide in Jesus and receive His love for us, can we bear the fruit in our lives which is necessary to thrive in our vocation as wife, mother, or anything else God desires us to be.

Resting in the Lord

Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for the temple of God, which you are, is holy. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)

As temples of God, we must find ways to steward the gift of the only body we have been given. Just as our souls need prayer, our bodies need rest and nourishment. God created sleep to restore not only our energy levels but other systems of the body. In addition, he gave us food for fuel and nourishment. God even created an entire day of rest and refreshment, the Sabbath, and commanded us to keep it holy.

Therefore, when considering self-care, let us ask ourselves:

Am I sleeping enough?
Am I eating a balanced diet?
Am I hydrating my body?
Am I enjoying sunlight and fresh air?
Am I taking time to process emotions through prayer journaling?
Am I grateful for the gift of my body and all that I can do because of it?

Taking Time as Beloved

If you have the means, treat yourself well, and enjoy life as best you can. (Sirach 14:11)

When we practice a posture of prayer and self-care, we naturally begin to enjoy stewarding the gifts God has given us, because they are for our good and His glory. As a result, we rediscover what truly restores us as beloved daughters of God, not just as wives and mothers, but as uniquely beloved to the Lord. Restorative activities may include:

Going for a walk
Reading a book
Crocheting
Sipping an iced tea
Tending to the garden

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Self-care does not need to be luxurious or extravagant — nor should it be. But by carving out some time for prayer, our physical and emotional needs, and doing what we love as beloved daughters of God, we will discover how much better we feel, how much more energy we have to serve our family, and how much less anxiety bubbles to the surface when times are difficult.

How will you practice self-care this August ... and beyond?

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Three Ways Self-Care Draws Moms Closer to God