It’s been a while since we’ve talked about SELF CARE. Then again, there isn’t anything new or revelatory to say, really . . . but reminders are always good, especially when it comes to self-care.
Self-care, unfortunately, is mostly something we think about because we happen to see a post on IG about it, and then we tell ourselves we’ll do it, but it often gets pushed to the backburner because there are a million other things to worry about.
But if you push self care to the backburner for a long time, you’ll pretty much always end up regretting it. To make things easier, here are some simple steps you can take to help focus on yourself, and ONLY yourself. This isn’t about being narcissistic, this is about taking care of your mental health.
1. Get to know yourself. Seems like an easy step, but a lot of people live with uncertainty–uncertainty about who you are, what you want, etc. It’s natural that we change and grow over time so many of these things that we used to identify as/with no longer hold true. The uncertainty that comes from that will often leave people struggling to feel fulfilled in their lives, which then affects their sense of self-worth, self-esteem, etc. There are books and journals that you can read and fill out to help with this. Don’t worry, it’s a struggle everyone goes through at some point. Some other things you can do:
- Keep a daily journal or find a way to write out your thoughts.
- List your strengths and what you’re passionate about. Likewise, identify your weaknesses and your dislikes
- Write a list of goals/new experiences you’d like to have.
2. Make a plan. Easy enough. Take inventory of what you could improve on: sleep, diet, exercise, and mental health practices. Prioritize on the things that you need to improve on. Need to eat healthier and stop ordering delivery? Meal plan and maybe meal prep. You might find meal planning a pain, but you’ll be healthier and happier because of it. Sometimes taking care of your mental health can just be about giving yourself time to relax without external distractions and stress. Set aside time a few days a week to read a book. Try to go out for a hike (re: last week’s blog). Nature does a body good.
- Start small. Aim to make this a habit. You don’t have to do all of the above, just do one thing that would help with self-care. This is for you.
3. Practice self-compassion. I actually have written about this before so I won’t get too much into it. But remember to try to treat yourself like you would a friend–with kindness and support. It’s important. Our natural inclination is to compare ourselves to others or focus on the things we don’t have. Remind yourself of the things you do have and are grateful for. In fact, if you try to keep a journal, this is the best place to write these types of things down.
Self-care is something that eventually influences other parts of our lives–our relationships with others, the decisions we make, and overall happiness. Self-care looks different for everyone. It could be as simple as doing something fun and just for yourself. It could also be a daily practice that slowly but surely helps improve the way you think. It could also be learning how to say “no” and carving more free time for yourself. (Seriously, “free time” is one of the most valuable things to me.)
Self-care can alleviate anxiety, stress, all of the stuff that can be mentally taxing. While I am in no way an expert on this and probably don’t practice self-care enough, I do understand the significance of it and how it affects our confidence, creativity, and productiveness. Do you have a self-care plan? Are you going to take some time to focus on yourself today?