When the term “self-care” is brought up in a discussion, some people tend to associate it with luxury and vanity. They fail to recognize that self-care is an important aspect of life that allows us to fully function.
If you’ve built the habit of regularly seeing a specialist for massage therapy or journaling, then you already know the importance of taking care of yourself.
If you don’t find value in self-care, we have laid out below why it is important to us.
Physical Care
This one is pretty basic. We all know that for a person to function well, their physical health has to be in good condition.
Your body and mind have a strong connection with each other. Have you ever wondered why you’re downcast when you’re not feeling well? It is because of that strong connection. Similarly, when you exercise, your body releases endorphins that make you feel good.
Taking care of your physical body goes beyond just exercising. It also has to do with what food you eat, how much sleep you get, and how you take care of your hygiene, among other things.
Mental Care
As far as mental health is concerned, there are two general aspects to this — keeping your mind sharp and keeping it sane.
Devote time daily to keep your mind sharp and alert. Find activities that will stimulate your mind like solving crossword puzzles or watching/reading materials that allow your mind to process information. Doing so allows it to run like a well-oiled machine.
Mental health care also involves taking care of your psychological well-being. Having compassion on yourself or forgiving yourself helps you maintain inner peace and a healthier inner dialogue.
Emotional Care
The ability to keep your emotions in check and cope with stress, anxiety, sadness, and depression is connected to a person’s emotional health.
Engaging in activities that allow you to process your thoughts and emotions, whether you’re pouring your heart out to a friend, sharing with your therapist, or writing in your journal, helps ease one’s emotional burdens to give a person relief.
If you don’t have avenues that let you express your feelings without filters, it’s time to start looking for an outlet or two to ensure your emotional well-being.
Spiritual Care
According to research, a person who is actively involved in some form of spiritual or religious practice is generally healthier compared to those who don’t.
Just so we’re clear, spirituality does not necessarily mean religiosity. Nurturing the spirit has to do with developing a sense of inner being, of deeper meaning, purpose, and understanding.
Spiritual self-care, whatever form it may be — praying, meditating, or attending a religious gathering — benefits the soul.
Social Care
Lastly, socializing with people is another way to take care of oneself. It has been said that no man is an island and that is very true.
We all need to surround ourselves with people — the right ones — to get by in life. Whether it’s someone to celebrate with when you’re happy or a shoulder to cry on when you’re down, having the right people and support system to encourage and empower us helps boost our self-esteem.
Make cultivating lasting relationships a priority. You’ll be glad you did.
Self-care is vital to our holistic development and growth as individuals. We must learn to make time for it.
