.png)
Life's pressures often cause us to neglect our own well-being, and it’s our job to fight back and do what’s right for us because nobody else will do it. Forget the manicure, new hairstyle, or shopping spree. That version of self care is enjoyable but mostly superficial. True self improvement and personal fulfillment are more challenging than a day at the spa, but this is where real self care happens.
Exercise is the antithesis of the superficial self care routine. It’s hard, it sucks at times, you’re wheezing and sweating, but the effects are concrete and enduring. Nothing could align more with self care than something that improves your mood, increases your energy, lifts your self-confidence, and reduces depression. Caring for yourself means loving yourself enough to endure the challenge and suffer through the struggle. You’d do anything to help a friend or family member be strong and healthy, and you deserve the same for yourself.
Self-care is also about self improvement, making your life better tomorrow than it was yesterday. Setting aside time to stimulate your mind and learn something new will expand your horizons, making you a well-rounded and interesting person. Learning a language offers new ways of understanding the world and opens up social and travel opportunities, learning a new skill gives a sense of accomplishment, and studying new information allows you to navigate your future more effectively. Prioritizing learning leads to greater success and a more fulfilling life.
If you default to being indoors, looking at screens, and appreciating the physical world through your favorite content creators, you are missing out on the benefits of engaging with nature. Improved physical health, presence of mind, reduced stress and a much-needed break from technology are benefits of doing anything outdoors. These days we need to consciously prioritize our outdoor time, but it pays off massively.
We have a thousand ways to consume the creativity of others, but a ton of mental health benefits can be derived from expressing your own creativity. Art is a great outlet to express yourself, it challenges you to think outside the box and it gives you a sense of pride and accomplishment. Self care should include challenging yourself to express your ideas in creative ways, and it can come in many forms. Knit a sweater, decorate a cake, color a coloring book. The joy of art is that nobody gets to tell you what to do.
Saying daily positive affirmations sounds too simple to be effective, but the simplicity also gives you no excuse to avoid trying it for yourself. Setting time aside to tell yourself that you are strong, brave and can accomplish anything will improve self-esteem, boost your mood, attract more positivity, and reduce stress and anxiety. It's a low risk/high reward activity and the people who practice it swear by it.
Nothing embodies self care more than nourishing yourself properly. Growing your own food is good for your mind, body, and soul. It gives you a major sense of accomplishment and contributes to overall good health by keeping you outdoors, active, and engaged in food production. It also gives a profound sense of appreciation for whatever you eat, homegrown or store bought. When you know what goes into growing food you will look at things differently and the results are always positive. Beyond growing food, growing flowers or just maintaining a beautiful outdoor space are similarly rewarding and offer many mental health benefits.
Seriously. I shouldn’t have to say it, but we all need to hear it. Sleep more. Sleep longer. Take the amount of sleep that you currently get, increase it, and then sleep that much. It’s one of the best things that you can do for your mind and your body, and it will improve every aspect of your life. There is no downside. Just sleep more.
Self care is about taking care of your mind too, and checking in with yourself by getting your thoughts down on paper is a valuable exercise. It’s simply setting aside time to have a deliberate conversation with yourself, helping to process change, express your hopes and dreams, and documenting your life as it happens. Whether it's a single sentence or 10 pages, there is no wrong way to journal.
Does self care include not screwing over your future self by being irresponsible today? Yes, it really does. I’m not necessarily saying start a business or invest in the stock market (definitely do these things if they align with your goals) but being engaged in your finances and thinking critically about your spending/saving habits is a gift that pays dividends. At the very minimum consider automating your savings and bill payments so these priorities will never be overlooked. Financial stress is one of the leading causes of anxiety and the world would be a much better place if everyone took their finances seriously.
Conclusion
Self care is a hot topic these days. Do whatever works, and if that’s a pedicure and a bubble bath then that’s absolutely perfect for you. But when we take time from our worries and obligations to really focus on our own fulfillment and well-being, the most impactful actions involve a degree of hard work and challenge. You get out of life what you put into it, and sipping lattes at the spa might be awesome today but sweating at the gym and balancing your budget will pay dividends tomorrow, and your future self will thank you.
JP
Please follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest, or Click Here to sign up for TaskMastery Tuesdays, our weekly newsletter. It's short, full of positivity, productivity and mindfulness, and you can unsubscribe at any time if it isn't serving you.
Comentários