What no one tells you about self-care
It seems that everywhere you turn, you hear about self-care. Self-care has become one of those trendy words tossed around. But what is self-care? Sure it could be taking a warm bubble bath with your Bath and Body Works candles for some. For others, it could be going on a nice nature hike. Self-care looks different for everyone.
Before we go into some self-care tips and ideals, let’s first try to define the meaning of self-care. According to the World Health Organization, self-care is: “the ability of individuals, families, and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and to cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a healthcare provider.” So, according to this definition, self-care could be just as simple as eating a healthy diet or brushing your teeth daily. It could also include things that focus more on mental health.
Some tend to think the act of self-care is selfish and unnecessary; this couldn’t be any further from the truth. There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking time out to take care of your well-being. Taking time to care for yourself is quite the opposite....it is a necessity.
There are so many benefits of practicing self-care. When you take the time to practice self-care, you can improve your mental and physical health. Certain self-care practices also help to reduce stress and anxiety. Another important benefit is taking care of yourself so that you have the capacity to help others. We all know that you can’t pour from an empty cup…..so fill ‘er up!
I’ve included twenty-five ideas of self-care activities that you may or may not have thought about:
Take a warm bath
Call a friend
Sip on your favorite tea
exercise
do yoga
Meditate / pray
Burn your favorite candle
Eat a healthy meal
Put on your favorite playlist and sing/dance
Get a massage
Give yourself a facial
Go for a walk
Write down five things you’re grateful for
Do something nice for someone else
Drink water
Get rest
Take your vitamins/ supplements
Turn off the electronics
Delete old emails
Read a book/magazine
Snuggle with a pet/partner/child/friend
Clean/organize something
Practice preventative care (Visit doctor/dentist/naturopath)
Go outside in the sun
Now, this list is not exhaustive. There are sooooo many other things that can be a self-care practice. If you would like to share some of your favorite self-care activities, please feel free to leave a comment below.