Self- care has become a buzz word in recent years and that is terrific. However, sometimes people get the wrong impression of what self-care actually is. I often see it associated with a person getting a massage or a manicure. While these are absolutely great treats for yourself, self-care is so much simpler (and cheaper) than that. Perhaps you carve out half an hour of your day to do something you enjoy such as reading, crafting, or phoning your best friend. Maybe you opt to wake up a little earlier to enjoy a cup of coffee from the solace of your porch. Basically, self-care means you have decided that you're important, and you are going to give yourself the gift of time for you!
How does self- care help? Much like exercising improves your physical health, self-care helps your mental well-being. You will find that the physical and mental health go hand in hand. When you care for yourself physically, you are also improving mentally and when you care for your mental health, you will notice benefits in your physical well-being. Self-care offers us the chance to become more self aware as we devote time to do things we enjoy. Additionally, when you are taking care of yourself, you have more to offer others. I always love the analogy of the airline stewardess reminding you in the event of an emergency to put your mask on before helping others. You can not help someone else if you are also deprived of oxygen; much like you can not give to someone else when you are depleted of time and energy.
We are all in a rough spot right now. Many of us are wearing more hats than we are used to, and we are perpetually caught in a balancing act to keep them all on at once. We are feeling like we do not have much else to give to our employers, our children, our spouse, our home, and so on. Self-care is more important than ever. Please take time for yourself and remember we are all in this together. Never hesitate to reach out if you find yourself struggling.
Below is a document of self-care ideas:
Self- care is absolutely something for kids and teens too. In fact, your children seeing you model self-care will help them develop their own healthy habits. Here are some ideas for them as well:
