Selfcare is defined as the practice of taking care of one’s own well-being. Selfcare can include anything that makes you feel good and contributes to your overall wellness. Examples of selfcare include but are not limited to exercise, meditating, spending time with friends & family, getting a good night’s rest, going for a walk, seeing a therapist, eating healthy, relaxing, setting boundaries, going to Church, taking a bath, and just doing nothing. It literally can include anything that makes you feel your best! In a world that nonstop work is glorified, it’s easy to think that selfcare can be put on the back burner. However, that can have detrimental effects. Neglecting yourself can lead to burnout, stress, anxiety, depression, and host of other physical and emotional problems. Practicing selfcare can lead to increased productivity, a reduction in stress, improved energy, and increased happiness. From a physical perspective, self-care has been proven to reduce heart disease, stroke and cancer. Spiritually, it may help keep us in tune with our higher power as well as realize our meaning in life.
Use these tips to add more selfcare into your life:
Define what you need & make a plan
Set a goal
Break it up
Ask for help
Get creative
Selfcare is so important because you can’t pour from an empty cup. When I was in college, I was taking 18 semester hours, working 20 hours, on the leadership board of 3 student organizations, and trying to maintain a social life. When I graduated and started working full time, I was working 60 or more hours per week, taking classes towards my masters degree, studying for professional exams, and on the executive board of 2 professional organizations. It’s safe to say that I didn‘t know the importance of selfcare. My neglect caught up to me in 2018, when my health too a nosedive. Once that happened, I had to make some serious changes I thought that selfcare was getting a massage or taking a vacation, but I now realize that there was so much more to it. Don’t wait until it’s too late to implement some selfcare into your life. Everyone needs to and deserves time to restore themselves!
Comments