Self-care is defined as the practice of taking an active role in protecting one’s own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress. But how many of us give our self-care the attention it deserves? And when we finally think about it, are we doing it consistently? In the fast-paced modern world, we are often running until our bodies or minds shut us down or give us a wakeup call and mandated rest. Or we are exhausted by the end of the day or week and lie down on the couch to scroll social media or binge a show. Does that provide you with the fuel you need to not just survive in life, but to thrive and feel fulfilled?
Why is self-care important?
When you don’t practice self-care, you become depleted. That can turn into something physical like an illness. Or you may settle into a low vibrational frequency like stress, agitation, or anxiety. When you are in a low vibrational frequency, you can act out in ways that are not your authentic true self.
How does your energy affect other areas of your life? Your job? Relationships? Showing up in a higher vibration will benefit everyone. The energy you give out is what you will receive back. Being self-introspective and acknowledging when you need self-care benefits everyone around you. You become a magnet for your desires when you are in a higher vibrational frequency.
Proof that self-care works
Sound too woo-woo to you? Check out these statistics. Having a self-care routine was clinically proven to reduce and eliminate anxiety and depression, reduce stress, and increase happiness. Self-care rituals can help you adapt to changes, build strong relationships, and recover from setbacks. Americans who use self-care said that it enhanced their self-confidence (64%), increased their productivity (67%), and their happiness (71%). Self-care habits can also reduce heart disease, stroke, and cancer. People who have chronic illnesses and practice self-care showed a decrease in hospitalization, costs, and mortality rates.
Physical Self-Care
- Incorporate physical activity throughout your day.
- Many people live a sedentary lifestyle due to working on computers, etc. This causes an increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and degenerative musculoskeletal conditions, such as arthritis and osteoporosis. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services suggests 150 minutes of moderate activity per week or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week at a minimum. For more active individuals, this increases up to 300 minutes or more per week.
- Physical activity doesn’t just mean going to the gym. Get creative! How can you get more activity throughout your day? Can you go for a 10 minute walk a few times throughout your day? If you work from home, can you take a phone meeting while you walk around the block?
- Physical activity helps to reduce fatigue and helps with symptoms of burnout and depression.
- Avoid tobacco and alcohol use.
- Increased alcohol increases the risk of cardiovascular damage, liver disease, cancers, pancreatitis, immune system damage, changes in brain structure and function, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, and harmful behaviors such as domestic violence and accidental death or injury due to motor vehicle accidents.
- Tobacco use increases your risk for cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic respiratory disease, systemic inflammation and impaired immune response, slower healing, eye disease, and reproductive issues in women.
- Create good sleep hygiene.
- Inadequate sleep is linked to heart disease, weight gain, depression, anxiety, immune system dysfunction, and dementia.
- Most adults need 7-8 hours of sleep, and adolescents need an hour more.
- Eat a nutrient dense diet.
- Incorporate more vegetables, fruits, healthy fats, and whole grains into your diet.
- Eat less processed foods.
- Eat more home-made meals so you know exactly what’s going in your meal.
Spiritual Self-Care
- Create space to tap into your desires and explore how to fulfill them.
- Practice gratitude for what you have right now. This doesn’t mean you can’t still dream big and have desires AND still be grateful. Both can be true.
- Use visualization, meditation, prayer, and/or journaling to connect with your true essence and your purpose. What gives you meaning in your work or your personal life?
Mental Self-Care
- Reduce chronic stress.
- Chronic stress contributes to many physical and mental health conditions including anxiety disorders, arthritis, asthma, cardiovascular disease, depression, stroke, certain types of cancer and weight gain.
- Release stress out of your body and release endorphins with physical activity, such as taking a walk or getting a good workout in.
- Meditate or enjoy a single point of focus activity such as knitting or swimming.
- Practice mindfulness to bring you into the present moment which can reduce anxiety.
- Allow yourself opportunities to cultivate self-awareness, learn new skills, and continue to grow as an individual.
- Create boundaries.
- Think about what you don’t want in your life and what you will accept.
- When you create boundaries, you protect your own energy keeping you in the higher range of vibrational frequency.
- Be specific when you set your goals and priorities to help you enforce your boundaries.
- Surround yourself with loving kindness. Be with people who boost your energy instead of drain it.
- Focus on what is going right in life.
- This can mean something specific to your life or something broader.
- Remember continuous negative thoughts become an ingrained pattern in your brain whether they are true or not. Challenge your negative thinking and identify old patterns of behavior. Ask if this is true or just old conditioning from your past or your family’s past.
Ask yourself these questions
Self-care is different for everyone. You may need a little self-study and self-awareness to figure out what brings you joy and fills you up. Plus, this can change depending on what season of your life you are in. Not sure where to start? Take some time to think through some of these questions.
What lights me up? How can I find time to do that in my life?
Where can I find bliss/joy? (Beyond the materialistic things)
What helps me recharge?
Conclusion
Self-care shouldn’t be another task on your to do list. It should be enjoyable! Have fun thinking through the questions above and start to weave in small things that light you up throughout your week. Be sure to give yourself grace and compassion if this is new for you or you aren’t consistent. Get creative and have fun!
Much love and health,
Carrie
Resources:
Larkin, B. (2023). Yoga Life. Balance.
Monk, L. 4 Key Dimensions of Self-Care. https://ctrinstitute.com/blog/4-key-dimensions-self-care/
National Institute of Mental Health. Caring for Your Mental Health. (December 2022).
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/caring-for-your-mental-health
Mental Health First Aid. How and Why to Practice Self-Care. (March 14, 2022). https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/2022/03/how-and-why-to-practice-self-care/
Luciani, M., De Maria, M., Page, S.D. et al. Measuring self-care in the general adult population: development and psychometric testing of the Self-Care Inventory. BMC Public Health 22, 598 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-12913-7
