It is essential to take care of our mind, body, and soul because it helps foster our relationship with others and our inner being. According to Wikipedia, self-care is the process of taking care of oneself with behaviors promoting health and active management of illness. I would like to add that, it is also the act of engaging in activities that promote our mental, emotional, psychological, and spiritual well-being.
Many individuals usually relate self-care to selfishness, but self-care is not selfish, to have a healthy relationship with others you need to have a healthy one with yourself. It is good to put others first, but sometimes you must shower yourself with love and affection. I believe it helps make our environment and the world a better place. Many people don’t even know that they deserve self-care, just like how you pour out to others you also have to be filled too.
There are different ways we can practice self-care, and I think that self-care varies from person to person. The objective when practicing self-care is that it helps you become a better person, live a better life, and contribute to your community positively.
Below are some ways you can practice self-care:
1. Ways to practice self-care for your physical well-being:
Eat healthily
Exercise
Take a nap
Practice skincare
Watch your favorite movie
Take yourself out to dinner
Go to bed early
Stay hydrated
Get a massage
2. Ways to practice self-care for your mental well-being:
Express gratitude (especially towards yourself)
Learn a skill
Connect to others
Love and Cherish your body
Buy yourself gifts
Learn to say no
Meditate
Go outside and enjoy nature
Spend time with your friends and loved ones
Enjoy doing your hobbies
Practice mindfulness
Set healthy boundaries
3. Ways to practice self-care for your emotional well-being:
Write in a journal
Stop investing in a toxic relationship
Connect with others
Disconnect from social media and spend some alone time
Speak kindly to yourself
Avoid adopting other people’s opinions about you
Listen to good music
Help someone
Forgive yourself when you aren’t being nice to yourself
Embrace your flaws positively
4. Ways to practice self-care for your spiritual well-being:
Pray Bible Study the bible
Go for prayer walks
Attend Christian concerts
Join a fellowship (especially with people who share the same faith)
5. Ways to practice self-care for your psychological well-being:
Express yourself regularly
Set goals you can attain
Focus on positivity
Take breaks from work and activities
Listen to an inspirational podcast
TAKEAWAY!
In a world, where we often tend to put others first, sometimes we should also take out time to pay attention to ourselves. Sometimes it’s hard to live in the present, which is overwhelmed with stress and anxiety, and we often get exhausted by the number of responsibilities assigned to us. I believe that actively practicing self-care helps us to unpack our problems and discard unhealthy coping mechanisms. There’s no better time than now to start prioritizing self-care habits, it enables us to live happy and wonderful lives. It also impacts those around us too. When we become conscious of our general well-being, it improves the environment and reduces the risks of suicide and self-harm.
Find out what self-care means to you and practice it.
You are loved, You deserve to be taken care of!
