What is self-care? As defined by the Oxford English Dictionary, self-care is “the practice of taking action to preserve or improve one’s health.” When expanded upon, this can include one’s mental health, emotional health, and physical health. Good self-care is a key component of a healthy relationship with oneself and with others.
Knowing what self-care isn’t may be just as important as knowing what it is. It is not something that we force ourselves to do, or something that we don’t enjoy doing. If you have to talk yourself into practicing “self-care”, then it is likely that it isn’t the kind of care that you should be practicing.
Self-care can mean different things to different people. Some examples of self-care practices that I engage in daily include doing yoga (if even only for 10 minutes), being creative through art, writing, or even cooking, and spending time with my two pugs. These are self-care practices that I intentionally do on a daily basis. Self-care does not happen by accident, it is an active choice and it should be treated as such. If not, then you may not be aware of what you are doing to promote self-care, you won’t connect with how it feels when practicing it, and you will struggle with recognizing the outcomes or effects it has on your well-being.
You may be asking yourself, why is self-care so important? As individuals, we may struggle with finding the time for self-care. We put it lowest on the totem pole of priorities, which means that it is likely the first activity that will get skipped when feeling bogged down by all the musts that we have on our to-do lists. When not practicing self-care, we may experience any number of symptoms, from low energy, difficulty sleeping or concentrating, and increased physical symptoms of stress, such as headaches or stomach aches to feeling hopeless, less motivated to engage with others, and the all-feared “burnout.”
It is no surprise that when we begin to neglect our self-care, it catches up with us. Have you noticed any of these symptoms? Maybe you have, but you start to unravel if you try to make it work in your already busy schedule. Changing habits or behaviors that we have been engaging in regularly can be difficult and challenging, but YOU CAN DO IT.
All it takes is one small step, one small change. Something simple (and doable). It might be a nice thought to start a regular yoga flow for each morning, but if even the thought of waking up 10 minutes early has you hitting the snooze button, let’s think of something more realistic. Maybe during a hot shower, take a few minutes and just let the water roll down your neck, shoulders, and back. Have a cup of hot tea. Take a walk. Listen to your favorite song.
If you are feeling overwhelmed with how to incorporate change to better prioritize your self-care, help is available. Seeing a therapist can help break down your goals into easier, achievable steps, and support you in making your self-care a priority.
