By Barbara Alexander

Today I was reminded again of the utmost importance of a well balanced self-care ritual.

In this instance, I am referencing the part of self-care that is focused on your emotional well-being. Just think about this for a moment… What do you do to find inner stability and balance?

Here is how the typical day unfolds. You wake up and within seconds your mind begins to race with all the things that need to get done that day. Sound familiar? Have you ever caught yourself reaching for the cell phone to check Facebook, messages or even email before you get out of bed?

Some of us think we already have a daily self-care routine. We exercise, try to eat right, cut back on sitting for too long... these things are for the body but what about your emotional self care? Is your mind just running amuck during your exercise and better eating habits?

An emotional self-care routine helps you to ground and stabilize your personal energy. The most powerful way I have found to do this is through focusing each day for 15 minutes and actively opening the lines of communication between you and the Divine.

One of the key things I noted was the limiting belief that we are in this all alone. Many times we try to do EVERYTHING ourselves, we figure it out, organize it and make it happen. But what if there was something far greater that we could be tapping into? We can choose to do it all on our own – or we take steps to align with a Divine support system and ask for help.

Let’s get back to your emotionally intelligent self care. Imagine that you have a savings account made up of past thoughts of appreciation and joy. These good emotions, over time, fortify your strength of well-being and in times of need, when life gets too hectic or emotionally unbalanced; your well-being account comes into play.

But I have one more point that we often forget in our times of imbalance and stress. I always remember to ask for help.

Most of us know what it feels like to ask the Divine for help in difficult situations but how about including that in your daily routine? What if you asked each morning that in every situation you encounter today, the Divine support you and work through you in all that you do or don’t get done?

But here is the caveat: after you have asked, you must trust, have faith, believe... and then let go of any attachment to the specific outcome. After all, between you and the Divine, who has the greater vision???

Are you willing to do that? Completely? Go ahead, take a deep breath, and embrace and expand your own daily self-care. Take 15 minutes each day, BEFORE you think of all that you have to get done. Take the time to feel genuine appreciation for something - anything will work (sunshine, your pet, air that you breathe…). Try it for 30 days and I promise you that you will feel the difference all the way to your Soul.

<em>Barbara Alexander, mentor and life coach, is founder and director of The Sacred You Academy of Epona Ridge, a place for advanced human development through equine experiential programs. Programs for The Sacred You are located near Beaufort, SC and in Asheville, NC. www.SacredYouAcademy.com</em>