There was a period of time in my life when I was pouring from an empty cup. I felt like I was running on empty for everyone else—friends, family, coworkers. To me, being “selfless” meant draining myself until there was nothing left to give.
What I learned over time was that you truly cannot pour from an empty cup. If you give all of yourself to everyone else, you cannot be an effective mom, wife, friend, sister, daughter, employee, or human being. Your cup will not refill, you will not feel joyful, and you will surely burn out.
Years later, I have a better perspective on how to refill your cup. Some of these tips are habitual and others I have to remind myself to prioritize regularly. If you’re looking to add more energy, calm, and happiness to your life, these 10 steps to refill your cup are a great place to start.
How to Refill Your Own Cup (10 Steps)
1. Know When Your Cup Is Empty
Pay attention to your feelings, moods, and emotions. Know the difference between your usual happy-go-lucky self and when you’re running on empty.
Are you easily annoyed? Feeling frazzled or tired all the time? Maybe even nervous or worried about things that typically don’t bother you? These are signs that your cup is close to, or completely empty.
Stop and take notice. Remind yourself that it’s okay to not be okay. Recognizing that you need to refill your cup is the first step in actually doing it.
Read also: 26 Sweet Things to Say When Someone Is Sick
2. Sleep
There’s a reason they say absence makes the heart grow fonder. When you’re running low on energy, sleep becomes your best friend.
Your body and mind need time to recharge. When you’re low on energy, aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night. Don’t hit the hay super late and expect to only get a few hours of sleep either!
Getting enough sleep each night allows your body to properly rest so you can wake up energized and refreshed, instead of groggy and tired.
3. Eat Well
You are what you eat. If you find yourself eating a lot of convenience foods or unhealthy meals, it’ll be difficult to keep your energy levels high.
Load up on foods high in iron and protein to keep your energy levels from dipping. Drink lots of water and try to eat as many whole foods as you can.
Don’t sacrifice nutrition for the sake of convenience. Your body isn’t a lazy pumpkin who can run on Doritos and Diet Coke alone.
Read also: What to Eat on Your Period
4. Move Around
Move your body every single day. This is non-negotiable if you want to refill your cup.
Do you love working out? Go for a run, hit the gym, or take a barre class. If you despise traditional exercise, find something you do enjoy!
Take a walk around your neighborhood, ride your bike, or take a dance class. Moving your body is proven to release endorphins and increase your overall energy.
5. Set Boundaries
This goes hand-in-hand with learning how to say no. If something doesn’t fuel your cup or make you happy, why are you doing it?
Cut off any friends or family members who drain your energy. Say no to things that don’t align with your goals or make you happy. Do you NEED to watch your friend’s child every night? Will you actually get that promotion if you take on every project at work?
There’s nothing wrong with pushing back on things that don’t serve you. Setting boundaries will allow you to spend more time refilling your cup instead of pouring into others.
6. Practice Mindfulness
Take a few minutes each day to sit with your thoughts. Meditate, journal, take deep breaths.
Allow yourself to live in the present moment and appreciate all that you have going for you. You are enough.
Mindfulness allows you to reset and check-in with your feelings. It can help prevent you from feeling overwhelmed and allow you to live with intention.
7. Do Something You Love
Like I said before, refilling your cup doesn’t always mean resting. It also means having fun and doing things that bring you joy.
Whether that’s reading a book, listening to music, or catching up on your favorite show. Allow yourself to relax and do nothing but recharge.
Fill your time with people who lift you up and make you happy. The friends and family members who drain your energy don’t deserve your time. Surround yourself with good energy and allow it to refill you.
8. Unplug
Unplug from technology and social media whenever you can. Whether that’s taking a few minutes to yourself between tasks or taking a complete technology break one day a week.
You don’t have to scroll Facebook and Twitter every chance you get. Allow your mind to rest and reset by limiting your time behind a screen.
You’ll feel more energized and present if you take regular technology breaks.
9. Create Self-Care Rituals
Create rituals that allow you to recharge each morning and night. Wake-up rituals can help you feel energized and ready to tackle the day.
Even if it’s making your bed, stretching, putting on a face mask, or writing in a journal. Nighttime rituals are great for allowing your body to wind down at night and prepare for sleep.
Some of my favorites are taking a warm bath, light stretching, and putting a skincare routine at night. Self-care rituals are fun and allow you to reconnect with yourself.
10. Reflect
Reflection is powerful and allows you to grow in any area of your life that you want to improve.
Reflect on what you’re doing that’s working and what you want to improve on. Adjust your thoughts and behaviors to allow yourself to continue refilling your cup daily.
You’ll be surprised at how much better you feel when you take the time to check in with yourself.
Conclusion
Refilling your cup allows you to have more energy, happiness, and calmness to give to the world. If you never take time to refill your cup, how will you have anything to offer anyone else?
Make sure you’re implementing healthy habits that fuel your body, mind, and soul.
Refill your cup and give from a place of empowerment and fullness.
FAQs
Q: How will I know if my cup is empty?
A: Pay attention to your emotions. Are you more easily irritated? Are you happy with your current workload? Checking in with yourself daily will help you identify when you’re running low on energy.
Q: Will these tips work for me if I have kids?
A: Absolutely! You can even use some of these tips with children. Take your kids outside and play with them instead of sitting on your phone. Have them help you make dinner so you can spend less time cooking.
Q: Do I need to buy expensive creams and snacks to take care of myself?
A: Not at all! While some of these tips may include purchasing a meal kit delivery or new workout gear, you can practice self-care with the things you have at home. Food, sleep, and relaxing are FREE.
Q: How long will it take before I feel results?
A: Everyone is different. Some people may notice a change in a few days, but for others, it may take weeks. Just make sure you’re consistent with your self-care and you WILL feel more energized.
Q: Will this prevent me from ever feeling burnt out again?
A: Life is going to always be stressful. However, making it a point to refill your cup every day will allow you to cope better with life’s stressors.
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