How to self care well in 2020 and beyond
The perfect time to look after yourself is now and if you have been thinking about it, now is the time to take action, take some time for you
Self care is neither as mysterious or complex as many assume. It simply means fostering healthy habits that support and strengthen your mental health and well-being.
To be your best self, both for yourself and the people in your life, you really do need to take care of yourself.
Self care will always look a little different for everyone because we are all unique. There is no set formula, however here are some practical principles for creating and building a self care regimen
Take care of your physical health
Mental health is not independent of physical health, to the contrary, our mental health literally depends on our physical health. Things like getting regular exercise, quality sleep and eating well are three ways we can nurture our physical bodies
Take care of your mental health
Taking some ‘me time’ is important. And it also helps strengthen your mental wellbeing.
Your mental wellbeing is the unique way that you handle your emotions, respond to stress and also your general outlook on life.
Having a healthy sense of mental wellbeing has many benefits. It lifts your mood, promotes resilience in difficult situations and helps you get the most out of life.
It doesn’t matter who you are, where you live or how you’re feeling – taking a few moments for yourself each day will help you be a happier and more resilient you.
Feel you need more mental health support?
It’s normal to feel sad or worried sometimes, especially when life gets tough. Sometimes, you might need some help to feel better again.
If you’re struggling with your mind, support is available. There are a range of services and organisations that can help such as counsellors, psychologists, help lines and community centres.
Reaching out for help is an important part of the self care journey.
Take care of your social health
We are social creatures, and even the most introverted person needs other people to maintain their emotional health and well-being.Figuring out the right kind of social interaction given your temperament is an important part of self care.
Make time for pleasure
When we prioritise making time for activities that bring us pleasure, this helps ‘keep our tank full’. Also, when we make time to do projects or activities that we genuinely enjoy, we can tap into the same spirit of play that children find so effortlessly.
Practice being gentle with yourself
Most of us are really good at being compassionate with our friends, family and loved ones, but can struggle to be compassionate with ourselves. Most of us default to being hard on ourselves when we are feeling upset or low, we criticise ourselves for being weak and can put ourselves down.
A solution is to cultivate a habit of gentleness with yourself. This simply means treating yourself like you would treat a good friend who was struggling.
If you need time out, Renee Zacs and the team at Spirit of Rainbow offer full day retreats to unwind, practice self care, learn new food choices, and reboot your personal care. Find them at: spiritofrainbow.com.au
