Self-care is a commonly misunderstood concept around the world. This is concerning because the main and most important tool for self-growth and happiness is taking care of oneself. It allows you to get to know yourself better, reach your goals and full potential in life. To look after yourself more, here are some illustrated tips and tricks you can follow:
What do we really mean by self-care?
Self-care is the collection of habits that strengthen your mental health and wellbeing. It's a personal program for taking care of oneself. Self care is most successful when positive habits are carried out consistently; not something you occasionally remember to do. Besides, we must note that self-care is not complicated, nor does it mean to be selfish. Egocentrism is far away from this definition, in fact, it is the opposite. You can’t be helpful to others if you don’t make time to help yourself. Self-care is something everyone should look to prioritize, there is no fixed age or gender because the most effective forms of self-care are genuinely simple.
We must consider that self-care looks a little different for everyone. As the therapist Nick Wignall said; “Our lives are unique, therefore there is no set formula for self-care. And to some extent you have to customize it to the needs and details of your own life”
Therefore, as there is not a solid way of self-care, you can implement it relying on principles that apply to almost everyone when it comes to building a healthy lifestyle. This means that self care is most successful when we understand our emotions and needs.
One of the most common doctor sayings is ‘Take care of your physical health’ to the point that it gets boring. However we must understand that it is about more than simply being in shape. In fact our mental health quite literally depends on our physical health.
Adding in any regular exercise to your routine such as walking can be very beneficial to increase your performance during the day while ensuring your health. Keep in mind exercise is a complement of food, you must eat well and have balanced meals to feel better.
In addition, even though it might seem strange and irrelevant, taking care of your social health is essential for self-care. We need other people to maintain our emotional health, therefore, we must find quality relationships that fit our temperament. Making time for activities that are pleasurable to your mind and soul is crucial as they radically improve your mood, motivation and self-esteem. With them, we make a habit that actually boosts our enthusiasm for life.
All of these tips will mean nothing if you don’t start practicing being gentle with yourself. Accepting who you are, forgiving yourself and avoiding self-pity, if not you will constantly struggle. Finally, even though it's not always easy to add in more whitespace(1) to your life, you must, because your mental and emotional health will doubtless strengthen.
Nour. M
Bibliography:
"Self-Care Has Never Been More Important". Https://Www.Apa.Org, 2021, https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/07/self-care.
"Self-Care: What It Really Is And How To Do It Well". Nick Wignall, 2021, https://nickwignall.com/self-care/.
"12 Self-Care Tips For Busy People". SUCCESS, 2021, https://www.success.com/12-self-care-tips-for-busy-people/.
1. Whitespace: deliberately leaving some room for free-time in your day, weeks and even years
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