What Is Self-Care?
Self-care is a broad term that encompasses just about anything you to do be good to yourself. In a nutshell, it’s about being as kind to yourself as you would be to others. It’s partly about knowing when your resources are running low, and stepping back to replenish them rather than letting them all drain away. Meanwhile, it also involves integrating self-compassion into your life in a way that helps to prevent even the possibility of a burnout. However, it’s important to note that not everything that feels good is self-care. We can all be tempted to use unhealthy coping mechanisms like drugs, alcohol, over-eating, and risk-taking. These self-destructive activities help us to regulate challenging emotions, but the relief is temporary.
Types of Self Care
There are many different self-care practices. The trick is to find some that you genuinely enjoy and that fit with your life and values. Once you start adding emotional self-care to your life, you’re likely to become fiercely protective of that time and wonder how you ever managed without it!
Sensory: Sensory self-care is all about helping to calm your mind. When you are able to tune into the details of the sensations all around you, it’s easier to live in the present moment. And when you’re in the present, you can more effectively let go of resentments related to the past or anxieties about the future.
Sensory Self-Care Ideas
· Cuddling up under a soft blanket.
· Watching the flames of a candle or a fire.
· Feeling the water on your skin during a hot bath or shower.
· Focusing on the movements of your own breathing.
· Lying down and listening to music with your eyes closed.
· Sitting in the heat of the afternoon sun.
· Walking barefoot in the grass.
· Holding a pet in your arms.
Emotional: When it comes to your emotional health, one of the best self-care tips is to make sure you fully engage with your emotions. When you face them head-on, this actually helps with stress. You may feel tempted to push down feelings like sadness or anger, but it’s healthy to feel them, accept them, and move on. Remember that emotions are not “good” or “bad” in themselves. You are not blameworthy for the emotions you feel; only how you behave in response to them.
Emotional Self-Care Ideas
· Keep a daily journal, and be totally honest about your feelings.
· Write a list of “feeling words” to expand your emotional vocabulary.
· Make time to be with a friend or family member who truly understands you.
· Let yourself cry when you need to.
· Deliberately encourage yourself to laugh with old memories or funny videos.
· Sing along to the song that best expresses your current emotions.
Spiritual: If you’re not religious, you might be tempted to skim-read this section or skip it altogether. However, spiritual self-care isn’t just about believing in a deity. It’s applicable to atheists and agonistics as much as to religious people. Spiritual self-care is about getting in touch with your values and what really matters to you.
Spiritual Self-Care Ideas
· Keep up a daily meditation or mindfulness practice.
· Read poetry.
· Walk in nature and reflecting on the beauty around you.
· Make a daily list of 5-10 things that make you feel grateful.
· Be creative, whether through art, music, writing or something else entirely.
· Make a list of 5-10 things that make you feel alive, then ask yourself how you can better incorporate these things into your life.
· Say affirmations that ground your sense of self and purpose.
Physical: The importance of self-care definitely extends to purely physical aspects of your health. Physical activity is vital not only for your bodily well-being but also for helping you let off steam.
Physical Self-Care Ideas
· Dance to your favorite songs
· Do yoga. If you’ve never tried it, there are poses that are perfect for beginners
· Go running with your dog (or a friend’s)!
· Cycle through the countryside.
· Simply go for a walk.
· Get adequate sleep every night
