What does it mean to truly take care of the self? Self-care may seem like a trendy buzzword for Instagram posts, but it’s actually a concept that can help you live a balanced, healthy life. If that’s not for everyone, we don’t know what is.
At its very core, self-care involves any action that helps you take care of yourself. The action may help reduce mental fatigue or relieve tension in the body. When you make these actions regular habits, it’s common to feel more in control and engaged with life. Self-care is about improving mental, physical, and emotional well-being. Even though that sounds nice, it’s very common for people to resist practices that aid these efforts.
There are many forms of self-care. Ensuring that you get sufficient sleep or stepping outside for some fresh air are two simple self-care practices. If you want to build resilience toward stressors that you encounter in your life, take steps to prioritize self-care. It may seem that self-care is a luxury, but the reality is that you should view it as a priority. In order to care for your health and well-being, change your life with the following self-care tips.
Maintain A Journal
Journaling isn’t just for middle schoolers. In fact, there is a lot of psychological research that states that journaling can improve mental well-being. When you journal regularly, you engage your left (analytical) brain, which ultimately frees the right (creative, feeling) brain to express itself. Journaling helps you recognize your feelings and thoughts, helping you identify challenges or stressors in your life. This process has been known to help people deal with stress in a more positive way.
Acknowledge Yourself
It’s not selfish to take care of yourself. Keep in mind that acknowledging and looking after your happiness is a crucial step to preserve your health. Every person deserves rest, affection, sustenance, and grace. Your dreams matter and you are worthy, so take the time pursue what makes your heart whole. When you are able to fill your happiness cup, you’ll feel better about life.
Spend Time Outside
You don’t need to venture to the great outdoors, although that’s not the worst idea, but being outside helps to reduce stress. Studies have shown that being around nature enhances your total satisfaction and reduces symptoms of anxiety. Generally speaking, a green space with trees or grass helps people feel more alive. If you spend most of your day in your home or in an office setting, step outside when you can. Sitting in the sun on your lunch break or taking a morning walk around your neighborhood is a powerful way to boost your mood. Inviting more positivity into your life is one of the best ways to care for the self.
Identify The Good In Yourself
A healthy self-care exercise is identifying the obstacles that you overcome in life. Take into account the lessons you’ve learned over the years and think how far you’ve come. The goal is to try and see yourself through the eyes of the people who love you. You may think that people only see your imperfections or failures. In reality, they see you through loving eyes, and you should try to view yourself that way as well. You may make mistakes, but your successes outweigh them.
Embrace Mindfulness
This tip tends to show up on self-care listicles, and for good reason. Mindfulness lives up to the hype, people. Meditation, deep breathing, and other mindfulness practices help to relieve stress and improve compassion. Mindfulness exercises also help to bring clarity and focus, which may help eradicate feelings of anxiety. When you meditate, the practice continues to benefit you even when you aren’t actively practicing. All you need is five or 10 minutes per day to care for yourself.
Ditch Screens In The Morning
According to surveys, about 60% of adults look at their phones immediately after waking up. Whether you look at texts, missed calls, emails, or social media updates, looking at a screen first thing in morning puts you in a state of reactivity. Additionally, it may prioritize other people’s desire for responsiveness over your needs. You can shift the way you approach your day when you avoid screens for the first hour after you wake up. Use this time to take care of yourself. Make breakfast, drink tea, wash your face, or walk outside. Plus, avoiding screens can improve productivity in the morning.
