Loving and caring for yourself is common sense, right? In reality, it’s a little more complicated because for many people, loving and caring for others is natural but self-love and self-care are not. Perhaps there’s a bit of guilt attached to “giving” to yourself, but if you don’t take good care of yourself, how can you possibly be well enough to take care of anyone else?
What does self-care and self-love actually mean? Anything you do to keep yourself mentally, emotionally, physically, socially and spiritually healthy is part of self-care.1 When you do anything involving self-care, you are being kind and loving to yourself.
The obstacles to consistently caring for and loving yourself come in the form of life’s curve balls. For example, when you face a job crisis, split up with a partner, experience the death of someone significant in your life, or any other pitfall, you may put self-care aside and focus on “it.” During those hard times, it is even more important to remember to take care of yourself, so that you do not become sick, mentally, physically and emotionally.
Engaging in a self-care routine has been clinically proven to reduce or eliminate anxiety and depression, reduce stress, improve concentration, minimize frustration and anger, increase happiness, improve energy and more.
Perhaps the single most common reason people give for not participating in self-care is due to a lack of time. Even if you only have 5-minute increments spread throughout the day to engage in self-care, you may significantly enhance your overall health and well-being.2
• Do something just for yourself every day. If you have a close friend or confidante, talk to that person. You can talk to yourself by journaling, doing something creative, or listening to your favorite tunes. Even taking a cozy nap is a form of self-love
• Even if it is raining, try to get outside for a few minutes daily. Breathe in the outdoor air. If you choose nighttime to be out, look up at the sky. Appreciate the stars you can see. If it is warm enough for you to take off your shoes, experience the grass/sand/pebbles on your bare feet. If you can’t practice grounding outdoors, there’s always the KenkoGround® for indoors!
• Exercise your brain. Make sure you choose an activity that has nothing to do with your job or whatever you do to make a living. Whether it’s a crossword puzzle, learning new vocabulary words or doing sudoku, this time of non-electronic “gaming” is beneficial and helps your mental well-being.
• Try something new, whether it’s learning a foreign language, trying different food, practicing yoga, meditation or even walking backwards! Doing new things simply helps you feel good about yourself.
• Proactively stay in touch with old friends and be open to making new ones, regardless of your age. Resist the urge to be a recluse, even when it feels easier to stay home by yourself. Take the first step to connect with your friends and local community, because humans thrive on having bonds.
As you practice self-care, you will be amazed at how it positively affects your entire state of well-being. What’s not to love about that?
1, 2 https://www.snhu.edu/about-us/newsroom/health/what-is-self-care
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