Six Ways To Better Self Care

We have grown up being told that we need to take serve others first if we want to be better people in the society. This means that we put our needs somewhere towards the end of the priority list. In the process we have forgotten to take care of ourselves and we have ended up feeling frustrated and stressed out. Where did this message come from? I am not entirely sure. Religious upbringing? Family? TV? Observing general societal patterns? Maybe a bit of everything.

The truth is that you can only serve others authentically after you have taken care of yourself. Taking care of the whole, starts with taking care of yourself and then others. Self-care is that conscious effort to attend to your basic physical, mental, and emotional needs. It is not a luxury but a necessary step towards wellness. It is that time when you can be present and enjoy life through simple pleasures.

Here are six ways for your own self-care.

Physical care

For good mental health you need to take care of your physical body. There is a very strong connection between the mind and the body that when one is affected the other comes in to sympathize. A healthy body therefore, helps the mind to think more clearly and constructively. For example when you appear in an event and feel not presentable enough even your thinking pattern and your relationships gets affected, or when you have not slept well, your moods and energies are low. Physical care means that you get good sleep, eat well, groom your body well, exercise, go for medical checkups and appointments.

Social – self care

Close connections are important for good mental health. Research shows that people who have a strong support system hardly get mental illnesses, even when they do, they quickly bounce back. Investing in healthy relationships is not a waste of time. Get time to connect with your loved ones not just online but more so physically.  Have an ice cream/ coffee/ juice date, play some golf or any other sport, go camping, and just get time to connect in a meaningful way. Have people in you that inspire and challenge you to become a better you.

Watch out for toxic people: those who add no value to the relationship but somehow fill your days. These people are insecure, selfish, demanding, bringing exhaustion and discouragement into your life.

Mental self care

What you fill your mind with greatly influences your thoughts. Cultivate a habit of filling your mind with constructive and uplifting information. Be careful what movies you watch, the music you listen to, the books you read, the news you listen to and the people you interact with.

Cultivate mindfulness by monitoring your inner dialogue or what you say to yourself. Be aware of the type of thoughts that bounce around your brain and choose which ones to entertain. Once you realize the type of repetitive thoughts, you can start to honour them and accept that your thoughts are not you and you have the power to let thoughts go as you replace them with more constructive and positive ones.

Don’t be too critical of self; instead, be kind, forgiving and loving to yourself. Accept that you are not perfect and that you will, every now and then make mistakes. Embrace those flaws and accept the imperfection as part of your life.

Spiritual self care

People who are spiritually connected have a healthier and fulfilling life as they tend to have meaning and purpose for their existence. They are more resilient and focused.  Daily engagement in spiritual practices helps to build a strong connection with your God.

Emotional self-care

We all experience uncomfortable feelings of anger, sadness, bitterness and anxiety. These feelings are necessary and valid; they make us human, but we need to have them in control. Emotional self-care will include activities that help you acknowledge and express your feelings regularly and safely: habits that can help you to positively cope with your feelings. Taking time to listen to your internal dialogue, journaling, gratitude practice, self-affirmations are some of the activities that can promote your emotional health.

Take time to to understand your boundaries, limitations, and expectations. Saying “no” does not mean that you don’t care, rather that you care enough to know your limitations. When you care for yourself first, you will be happier, calmer, and more able to engage with others. You will be more present and your productive will improve.

Create alone time

There is so much competition for your time from all sides and angles. This can come from the media, friends, work environment and even family concerns. if care is not taken, you can become overwhelmed lose and your uniqueness. It is important, therefore, to create time to be with yourself; that period when you can put yourself first and do something that you particularly enjoy to aid relaxation and revitalization. You do not have to feel guilty about it! You can choose to hush all the outside noise and listen to the wind. as you take time away from all the gadgets and connect with your inner self. Or, you can take time to just be with you. Take yourself on a date, take a long walk, sit in the bathroom, stay in bed a little longer, wonder around a book store, go shopping, attend an exhibition, listen to soothing music. pray, go for massage and the list goes on and on.