Simple Self-care
When the term self-care is used, how many of you think of expensive spa treatments? Something that you don’t have time or money to do? When I first started exploring this topic I thought the same, now I see self-care as something that I need to do to achieve overall mental wellness. Self-care is different for each individual, and takes on many forms depending on the individual. The key to self-care is to look at multiple areas to see where you can find joy and experience more balance. When looking at your self-care routine it is important to make sure that you set a goal that is measurable and achievable, so that you can incorporate self-care into your daily routine. Now let’s talk about some ideas around self-care.
Physical self-care can be making sure to get enough sleep or rest, eating healthier or enjoying some fresh air. It can also encompass moving your body through exercise and stretching. Keeping doctors’ appointments is also a form of physical self-care. Basically, anything that helps you to feel physically healthy.
Emotional self-care is everything about maintaining emotional balance, being empathetic and practicing self-compassion. Ways to enhance emotional self-care is to practice stress management, journaling, listening to your favorite music or making something artistic, practicing self-compassion or even professional counseling.
Social self-care is essentially everything that has to do with having healthy relationships with other individuals. Whether it is spending physical time with individuals (small or large group settings), establishing healthy boundaries, balance is key. Make sure to balance time with social activities and alone activities. Also consider your social media presence and what you are viewing in your social media feeds. Keeping those positive is also a way to practice social self-care. Also, don’t forget to ask for help when you need too as well.
Spiritual self-care is not just cheeks in the seat and going to church only, it has to do with your overall religious beliefs and feeling connected with yourself spiritually. You can achieve this by going to church, yes, but also by praying and meditating, reflecting on your day/week, or spending time in nature, just to name a few examples. It is about establishing a spiritual connection within yourself, no matter how you are able to achieve it.
Personal self-care is about knowing and honoring yourself and doing things that you enjoy or that bring you joy. Whether that is finding a hobby, trying something new, getting to know yourself or listening to yourself and getting out of autopilot mode we can all practice personal self-care. This form of self-care is also when you treat yourself to something that you enjoy, whether it is a walk-in nature, ice cream, a hot bath, a facial or massage – it is about treating yourself with something that brings you joy.
Home environment self-care focuses around maintaining a safe, functional and comfortable environment. That could be cleaning and/or organizing a space, creating a comfy space, finding some tranquility with safety, security and stability. You could explore adding a new paint color even to bring some comfy and cozy to a room.
Financial self-care is doing what you need to do to maintain your financial goals and obligations. Saving money and practicing money management and budgeting are a few forms of financial self-care. It can also be paying bills. My life coach encouraged me to treat bill paying and balancing my checkbook as if I was going on a date. Wear something pretty and for me sparkly, light a candle and make a tranquil environment to pay my bills. This really helped me to overcome the dread of bill payments and balancing the checkbook. I know that the best nights sleeps that I have are ones where bills are paid. Also, don’t forget to set aside money for “fun money”.
Work/School/Other Responsibilities self-care is when you are managing the needs of additional responsibilities that you may have in life. The key is to keep in mind time management, health boundaries, taking breaks and finding something that helps you to feel valued and appreciated.
Self-care is a must in order to have overall positive mental health, so how can you start putting a routine into place that you are able to stick too? That is where a health/life/wellness coach comes in. I can help you to create a plan in the present to achieve your goals for the future.
