Self-care is becoming a regularly used term, and it cannot be happening at a better time in history. With a looming recession and an ongoing health crisis, it would be so easy to get overwhelmed and lose touch with your happiness.
Taking care of yourself, of your needs, and the self within you that motivates you and drives you to be your best self is important at all times but even more so when the world seems like such a sad place.
Proper self-care will give you the tools to be kind to yourself and recognize and give space to your struggles, setbacks, and learn when to take time to heal and when to push through.
Self Care is Exercise
The way we look on the outside has a huge impact on the way we feel on the inside. If you struggle with motivating yourself to exercise, look into joining a group, or downloading an app where you can connect with other people with similar issues.
There are groups such as GirlTrek or apps such as LoseIt which are dedicated to motivating you and working with your lifestyle to provide you with exercise options. Sometimes all we need is to know that other people share our struggles. Knowing this can help free your mind and motivate you to become healthier through exercise.
Self Care is Skin Care
It can be very disheartening to be an adult with acne or have a skin condition such as psoriasis when magazines and advertisements are always pushing the narrative that clear skin is beauty. Try to ignore this and focus on helping your skin be healthy.
There are so many skincare products that are suitable for any type of skin and you can find exactly what you want for your needs. You can even find ace treatments where you can adjust the amount of benzoyl peroxide cleanser in them. If you prefer a more D.I.Y approach, there are beauty bloggers who provide tutorials on how to prepare facial masks from regular household products and fruits, etc.
Self Care is Eating Right
Depressive tendencies can lead to unhealthy eating habits which can spiral out of control. Our body relies heavily on the health of our digestive system for both physical and mental well-being. Try giving yourself an eating schedule and set it up to set off alarms on your phone. This will ensure that you do not miss any meals or snack breaks.
Keep a list of heart-healthy foods that promote alertness and well-being and check to make sure you eat a reasonable variety of foods from that list. Try to fit more fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, and fish into your diet. Reduce sugars and complex carbohydrates to occasional indulgences.
Self Care is Taking a Break
This is a very volatile time in history and it is surely taking a toll on you. It may seem like a good idea to throw yourself into your work and your hobbies so that you do not have any time to think about what is happening in the world.
This can cause you to burn out. Take regular breaks to just do nothing. Just be with yourself, maybe play with your pet, or enjoy listening to some music. Taking a break like this will allow your body to relax and re-calibrate. You will find yourself better able to handle your tasks because you allow your mind and body to rest.
Self Care is Home Care
Our surroundings play a big part in our ability to relax. In a messy home, there will always be a small part of you that is ill at ease and stressed about the need to clean.
So start cleaning. Begin washing dishes as soon as you are done using them. Wash all your laundry, fold, and put them away. Organize your bookshelves and keepsakes into a more aesthetic layout. These are all things you can do in stages and little by little. Seeing the result will give you a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment that is sure to lift your spirits a great deal.
If you are still unsure of how to get started then take a more structured approach to self-care. Sometimes we are so deep inside our bubble of constant work and effort that we forget how to begin relaxing.
Read a book by an expert on how to begin self-care and set aside a few minutes of your day when you focus on yourself. Make this time as necessary as the time you take to shower or cook. With a little effort and by focusing on nurturing self-love, you too will be able to provide yourself with the self-care and personal growth that you crave.
