26/03/2021
When you hear the word “self-care” what’s your first thought?
Do you think of self-care as me-time or pampering?
Do you think that it’s something that you’ll get to eventually, after everything else on your to-do list is done?
Or maybe you wonder…
What exactly IS self-care?
Well, in its broadest sense self-care is about looking after your physical and mental well being.
It’s about:
* staying fit and healthy
* being aware of what depletes you and taking steps to replenish your mental and physical health
* treating yourself as kindly as you would treat others
Why is self-care important?
The cold hard reality is:
‘if you’re not taking care of yourself, how are you going to take care of anyone else?’
If you really want to be there for others, you MUST take care of yourself first.
Logically, it makes so much sense!
What self-care is not
* self-care is not selfish, indulgent or vain
* self-care is definitely not about ignoring the needs of others.
Benefits of self-care
Through consistently incorporating self-care into your life you’ll:
* Feel more calm, relaxed and generally less stressed
* Get to know yourself better
* Build self-esteem and feel more confident
How to practice self-care
The best way of taking care of our physical and mental health is to eat nutritious food, get restorative sleep, exercise regularly and consistently do activities that make you feel good.
But which activities?
Experiment, and find out what works for you.
Remember, self-care is all about finding what works FOR YOU. Not what works for your friend or what your friend or partner says you should do.
Think about:
* What activities make you feel relaxed and recharged?
* What activities make you feel happy or excited?
Knowing yourself is important in finding the right self-care activities for you.
It’s important to make self-care part of your routine.
Start slowly and purposefully. Schedule it. Make a commitment to yourself and add it to your diary or planner.
When deciding which activity to choose, think about the end result.
Go for something that will make you feel accomplished and rejuvenated.
