Treat Yourself To Self-Care
Self-care goes beyond the occasional mani-pedi or massage. While these are great examples of taking time for yourself, in order to reap the substantial benefits of self-care, you must make a consistent commitment and expand your routine of caring for yourself to nourish all levels of your being.First, let’s define what self-care means. Self-care is an activity that nurtures and refuels you at a deep level. The definition for self-care is multifaceted. Each of us has many sides that make us whole:
Physical body
Emotional and mental state
Spiritual beliefs
Relationship to self
Relationship to others
Work
All these areas offer unique spaces for care and attention.
Physical Body
Ample quality sleep
Checkups
Healthy Diet
Regular exercise
Massage Acupuncture
Epsom Salt or Lavender Baths
Daily outdoor time
Emotional and Mental State
Laughter
Crying
Hobbies
Loving
Free Writing
Reading
Morning and/or evening routines
Budgeting
Traveling
Spiritual Beliefs
Nature walks
Yoga
Meditation
Gratitude
Creating time to just be
Prayer
Religious Practices
Forgiveness
Relationship to Self
Daily journal
Engaging the senses
Cooking
Vision Boards
Positive Self-talk
Goal Setting
Alone time
Celebrating your successes
Treating yourself to what’s important to you
Relationship to Others
Dating
Joining a club or group
Time with friends
Time with children
Family visits
Vacationin
Conversations
Getting involved in a cause
Communicating your wants and needs
Work
Boundary setting
Goal setting
Supporting and acknowledging yourself and others
Taking time off
Learning new skills
Self-advocating
In the realm of self-care, the options are limitless.
The key is to identify which areas of your life need attention and engage in activities that support you on a regular basis. You may find that what works for you changes over time. Perhapsyou recognize a need for connections at some point, so your daily exercise goes from a solo run to a walk with a friend.
Which areas of your life would you like to focus some specific attention?
Choose one area and brainstorm five self-care activities that might work for you.
Feel free to continue this with other areas needing nourishment.
You must give yourself permission to practice self-care to have a fulfilling life.Engaging in regular, high quality self-care is crucial; it has a positive ripple effect on your personal and professional success. Consider self-care as a high-leverage business tool, which is proof that you are walking your talk for your clients.Keep in mind that your participation in self-care will ebb and flow. The areas of your life that need balance will shift and the ways you want to fill those needs will change as well. How self-care looks in your life may change drastically from one period to the next, but it’s important that the routine – and the consistent effort of caring for yourself – is always present.
Here are some ways to stay consistent:
Take time each week to check in with yourself and identify which areas need support.
Choose the activities you will engage in on a weekly basis.
Schedule time in your calendar for each item.
Enlist the support of friends and family for those items that require extra accountability.
Trust and empower the people you care for to take care of themselves so that you can take care of yourself.
Make it easier for yourself by making your environment conducive to your activities.
Be present during self-care rituals.
Start small and build on practices that best serve you over time.
The final piece in creating effective self-care rituals is establishing a positive attitude and a determined mind-set. By allowing yourself the time and space to practice self-care without negative emotions weighing you down, you and those around you will reap the benefits. Your energy and enthusiasm for life will shine and you will begin to attract the people and things in your life that you most desire.
