When it comes to self-care tips, it seems like that is the last thing on our mind. Life gets busy and while we may or may not act on our stressors, if we do, it is typically in a negative way.
Ironically, we know we need self-care emotionally, physically and intellectually, yet, it seems that we don’t really pay close enough attention or prioritize the importance of it. Sometimes, we don’t even understand it!
So, what is self-care and why does it matter?
/ˌselfˈker/
noun
- the practice of taking action to preserve or improve one’s own health.
- the practice of taking an active role in protecting one’s own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress.
“expressing oneself is an essential form of self-care”
- the practice of taking an active role in protecting one’s own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress.
Self-care tips offer a positive way for us as individuals to deal with and handle our stress. When life gets hard, or we find ourselves in a challenge, our first response is to react. This can often create more stress and burden our emotions and our overall health.
The goal is to practice self-awareness and learn to pay attention to your emotions, feelings and how thoughts are formed as a result. By practicing awareness, we can learn to take necessary steps of self-care.
Self-Care Tips
Be Kind and Gentle With Yourself
It is easy to be hard on ourselves, and think self-defeating thoughts when we make mistakes, mess up, or let others down. We beat ourselves up when we don’t give enough time to the people we care about, like our kids, spouse, friends, family, etc. This negative thought pattern doesn’t help. We need to make sure we recognize and remember we are human. We are not perfect. Having self-compassion and being gentle with oneself is a wonderful way to accept this. Being kind around our mishaps and imperfections, gives us the freedom to live, learn and grow.
Be your own best friend . Treat yourself the way you want to be treated. Get to know yourself through self exploration – start a journaling practice to help you get to know yourself. Take a personality test to understand your personality on a deep level and use the results as tool in your personal growth. Surround yourself with people who truly love you, support you, encourage you and respect you.
Exercise or Take a Walk
Getting physical is such a simple way to break from stress. It reminds our body and mind that our body needs oxygen, blood to pump through our veins, and energy. It might be easy to say how tired you are, but just by doing something small, it can reinvigorate you.
Breathe
We all hear and know that just by taking a few deep breaths, it can calm our nervous system and help reduce a rapid heart beat when we feel the surge of stress. Anytime I sense that my body is working through something, I begin taking deep inhales and exhales, both through my mouth (not my nose). This immediately calms me and right away I feel less anxious and more at peace. It is definitely one of the vital self-care tips that provides immediate relief.
Use Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy essential oils, like Lavender, Ylang Ylang, Frankincense and LemonGrass are all great essential oils to help reduce anxiety, stress, and any sort of tense feelings. I use Lavender daily to keep the calm and feel more relaxed throughout the day. My brand preference is Aura Cacia, as it is 100% essential oil.
Give Back
Volunteer for an issue you care about. Or do something simple to help someone. It can help you feel good about yourself and who you are in the world.
Challenge yourself
Learn a new skill or set a goal for yourself. Learning improves your mental fitness. It’s incredible the feeling we get when we realize we have achieved something we didn’t know or think we could do before.
Treat Yourself to a “Me” Day
A “Me” day is not selfish in the sense of being derogatory. A “Me” day gives you space and an opportunity to collect some of your emotions and thoughts and process them. There are so many things you can do, but the most important thing to remember is to find a way to do something you enjoy. Then, find joy in that “Me” day so you can jump back into your routine and life with a new sense of being.
Be sure to Get Enough Sleep
This is something of a struggle for many people. But the fact is, our bodies are designed to need at least 8-9 hours of sleep every single day to function. Especially, given our hectic lifestyles, stresses in life, and environmental and other toxins that surround us. Our parasympathetic system helps with digestion, rest, sexual arousal, and so much more. Sleep activates our parasympathetic system, provides us with a way to give our mind and body rest and repair. It is integral for our health and our interactions with others.
Practice Boundaries
Sound difficult? Well, it certainly can be, but letting others know what is and isn’t OK is a big part of self-care. This is especially true mentally. Being afraid to tell others “no” or “not right now” can be hard because we don’t want to let others down. But there are many ways to practice this. Simply, let others know that you care or that you miss them, but this week or that day isn’t going to work. Then, offer an alternative. It really is simple and there are many ways to practice communicating boundaries.
Read Motivational Books
I love books that provide some sort of support or self-help. They can be encouraging, inspirational, and eye-opening. Brene Brown is wonderful, and she has amazing messages about courage and vulnerability. Another great book is 15 Things You Should Give Up to Be Happy. It is a book you can refer to over and over again and feels good when reading it.
Subscribe to Inspirational Blogs & Podcasts
This is one of my favorite things to do. While some people say they don’t have time, once you start taking care of yourself, reading and listening to podcasts becomes a habit. Taking walks and taking time to remind yourself of the wonderful ways you can contribute to the world, as well as many things to find joy in. Therefore, this is a perfect time to listen to a podcast or take a moment to subscribe to or read an article.
Find Ways to be Grateful
Practicing gratitude and self-compassion is something we forget about. For some reason, it is easier to think about the things we don’t like. But shifting our mindset to thinking about things we like and are grateful for, can turn bad moments into good ones. Being nice to yourself is a form of self-care because it reduces stress and creates a more loving environment.
Practicing and giving yourself the pleasure of self-care means you respect your mind, body and soul. The consequence is that you end up treating others in ways you never thought possible. And by caring for yourself, you are able to positively care for others. This brings you closer, offers you and others more comfort, and gives you a better sense of safety that helps protect your health, as well as provides support for those you relate with.