Self-care - A continual conscious choice!

When asked if we take care of ourselves we invariably answer YES, but do we?

The term “self-care” has been thrown around a lot lately since as it has become en vogue to discuss the nice things you do for yourself in the name of BEING YOUR OWN BEST NURTURER.

BUT WHAT IS SELF-CARE?

Self-care is any activity that we do deliberately in order to take care of our Mental Health, Emotional Health, & Physical Health.

Self-care helps us to maintain a HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP WITH OURSELVES and others.

Self-care boosts our SELF-ESTEEM and CONFIDENCE and fills us with joy, positive feelings and optimistic thoughts.

Self-care isn’t a self-interested act either. It is not only about considering our needs.

Self-care is rather about knowing what we need to do in order to take care of ourselves because then, and only then, are we are able to take care of others as well.

That is, IF I DON’T TAKE ENOUGH CARE OF MYSELF, I WON’T BE IN THE PLACE TO GIVE TO MY LOVED ONES EITHER.

Self-care is one of the best ways to MANAGE STRESS.

In a few words, SELF-CARE IS THE KEY TO LIVING A BALANCED LIFE!

Although it’s a simple concept in theory, it’s something we very often overlook.

WHAT IS SELF-CARE NOT?

Knowing what self-care IS NOT might be even more important.

Self-care is not something that we force ourselves to do or something we don’t enjoy doing.

“Self-care is something that refuels us, rather than takes from us”. Agnes Wainman

Here are a few examples;

SELF-CARE

NOT

Accepting help	Trying to impress people by overextending yourself
Getting enough rest and relation	Zoning out in front of the TV all night and then sleeping late
Dressing in a way that makes you feel good	Engaging in ‘retail therapy’ without any regard for your budget
Allowing yourself an occasional treat like a favorite dessert	Bingeing or frequent overindulgences of food \| stress eating
Scheduling time for exercise	Pushing yourself past your limits for appearance sake
Making time for family and friends	Going out all the time at the expense of things important to you
Setting healthy boundaries with needy family, friends or colleagues	Retreating from positive relationships \| Self isolation

TRUE SELF-CARE ISN’T SELFISH! It’s part of leading a happy, healthy life.

But it’s also not always easy!

IT CAN TAKE REAL, CONSCIOUS, INTENTIONAL EFFORT TO MAKE CHOICES that will actually contribute to your overall wellness, as opposed to just treating the symptoms of stress or daily wear and tear.

SO, WHAT CAN YOU DO?

All the stress relief activities in the world won’t help if you aren’t taking care of yourself.

Meditation won’t do you any good if you aren’t getting adequate sleep. In fact, when you try to meditate, you might doze off because you aren’t taking care of your body’s need for sleep.

Similarly, hitting the gym once in a while won’t relieve much stress if you’re only fuelling your body with high-processed junk food.

You need to take care of your BASIC NEEDS first if you want your stress relief activities to be effective!

Unfortunately, many people view self-care as a luxury, rather than a priority.

Consequently, they’re left feeling overwhelmed, tired, and ill-equipped to handle life’s inevitable challenges.

It’s important to ASSESS HOW YOU’RE CARING FOR YOURSELF in several different domains so you can ensure you’re caring for your mind, body, and spirit, by

1. Physical Self-care

You need to take care of your body if you want it to run efficiently. Keep in mind that there’s a strong connection between your body and your mind. When your caring for your body, you’ll think and feel better too.

When it comes to physical self-care, ask yourself the following questions to assess whether there might be some areas you need to improve:

Are you getting adequate sleep?
Is your diet fuelling your body well?
Are you taking charge of your health?
Are you getting enough exercise?

2. Social Self-care

Socialisation is key to self-care. But, often, it’s hard to make time for friends and it’s easy to neglect your relationships when life gets busy.

Close connections are important to your well-being. The best way to cultivate and maintain close relationships is to put time and energy into building your relationships with others.

There isn’t a certain number of hours you should devote to your friends or work on your relationships. Everyone has slightly different social needs. The key is to figure out what your social needs are and to build enough time in your schedule to create an optimal social life.

To assess your social self-care, consider:

Are you getting enough face-to-face time with your friends?
What are you doing to nurture your relationships with friends and family?

3. Mental Self-care

The way you think and the things that you’re filling your mind with greatly influence your psychological well-being.

Mental self-care includes doing things that keep your mind sharp, like puzzles, or learning about a subject that fascinates you. You might find reading books or watching movies that inspire you fuels your mind.

Mental self-care also involves doing things that help you stay mentally healthy. Practicing self-compassion and acceptance, for example, helps you maintain a healthier inner dialogue.

Here are a few questions to consider when you think about your mental self-care:

Are you making enough time for activities that mentally stimulate you?
Are you doing proactive things to help you stay mentally healthy?

4. Spiritual Self-care

Research shows that a lifestyle including religion or spirituality is generally a healthier lifestyle.

Nurturing your spirit, however, doesn’t have to involve religion. It can involve anything that helps you develop a deeper sense of meaning, understanding, or connection with the universe.

Whether you enjoy meditation, attending a religious service or praying, spiritual self-care is important.

As you consider your spiritual life, ask yourself:

What questions do you ask yourself about your life and experience?
Are you engaging in spiritual practices that you find fulfilling?

5. Emotional Self-care

It’s important to have HEALTHY COPING SKILLS to deal with uncomfortable emotions, like anger, anxiety, and sadness. Emotional self-care may include activities that help you acknowledge and express your feelings on a regular basis.

Whether you talk to a partner or close friend about how you feel, or you set aside time for leisure activities that help you process your emotions, it’s important to incorporate emotional self-care into your life.

When assessing your emotional self-care strategies, consider these questions:

Do you have healthy ways to process your emotions?
Do you incorporate activities into your life that help you feel recharged?

DEVELOP YOUR SELF-CARE PLAN

Self-care isn’t a one-size-fits-all strategy!

Your self-care plan will need to be customised to your needs.

When you discover that you’re neglecting a certain aspect of your life, create a plan for change.

You don’t have to tackle everything all at once. Identify one small step you can take to begin caring for yourself better.

Then, schedule time to focus on your needs. Even when you feel like you don’t have time to squeeze in one more thing, MAKE SELF-CARE A PRIORITY.

When you’re caring for all aspects of yourself, you’ll find that you are able to operate more effectively and efficiently.

Sources

Verywell Mind is a trusted and compassionate online resource that provides the guidance you need to improve your mental health and find balance.

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