Self-care can be tricky because it’s often the first thing we cut out if we run out of time. This school year I’m going to try to be better about prioritizing self-care. I have found if I don’t take care of me, it’s awfully hard to take care of others. This school year, I’m going to make every effort to practice a self-care routine EVERYDAY—even when it’s hard. Self-care routines don’t need to be lengthy or intricate, but they should take care of your emotional, physical, social, practical, mental, and spiritual needs. For me, this means that every day I’m going to read something enjoyable, write something meaningful, spend time alone and in silence, make something prettier than it was when I found it, eat healthy foods, and practice yoga. On some days I may spend only minutes on each of these things, but doing them every day will be what protects me in those really tough moments that life has a tendency to deal us. I hope you have or are thinking of a self-care routine for this school year too.