What is Self-Care?

What I've discovered in my studies and my journey to wellness is that self-care involves the process of taking care of yourself using behaviours that promote health and active management of illness when it arises. By spending the time to make yourself important and to improve your health and wellbeing you become a better version of yourself for others and society. Self-care practices can vary and there are a range of behaviours that you can start to incorporate into your daily routine.

Some of the areas of self-care that require your focus are:

Physical - how do you make sure that your body is in the right condition and how do you keep it running well?

Sleep - how many hours a night are you getting and what sort of quality is it and then working on establishing a healthy night’s sleep according to recommendations

Healthcare - regular health checks and keeping nasties at bay eg; a health check around every birthday

Nutrition - are you consuming a wide variety of foods with enough nourishment for you, what is your water intake, finding out what foods work for you…

Exercise/Movement - what are your recommended daily needs, choosing activity/movement you enjoy doing

Physical intimacy - are you aware of the importance of human to human touch, massage, hugs, pet cuddles

Mindful needs - can you deal with stresses when they arise and what strategies are in place to deal with these

Boundaries - have you strong boundaries to protect the time you set aside for you - saying no - keeps stress in check

Cognitive needs - are you keen to learn something new, using brain games to strengthen and expand your mind

Therapy - are you open to and have access to professional support if you need

Personal Growth - this is where you can broaden who you are as a person - meet new people, study, volunteer, achieve a sense of community

Balance - this is a big one and one I find a lot of clients are seeking… do you take time out for you, relaxation, nature walks, hot baths… how do you balance out your day?

Emotional needs - mindful awareness about getting in touch with your feelings. Really get to know you and what you need

We all know the importance of eating a healthy diet and engaging in regular physical activity but self-care goes beyond these basics. Self-care can also include improving your physical surroundings, developing a practice that exercises your mind and soul, balancing your family, social and work life with also making time to unwind by spending time in nature (or somewhere that you like), soaking in a hot bubble bath, watching a beautiful sunrise or sunset or listening to your favourite music.

If you'd like to know more about this I run a short 4 week course where you will discover more about yourself, what your needs are, develop your own self-care plan and then learn how to maintain it.