What does “self-care” mean to you?
If you’ve spent much time on social media, you’d be forgiven for thinking that it looks expensive: nail appointments, hotel reservations, and high-end skincare are common themes. In reality, self-care is a little less aesthetically pleasing and a lot more like doing things you might not want to do right now, but will benefit you in the long term.
Self-care is looking after and promoting your own physical, mental, and emotional health, however that looks for you. It can take effort, or it can be very enjoyable. Often, it’s a bit of both!
Why should you look after yourself?
The simple reason that you should care for yourself is that as a human you deserve care, from others and from yourself. Caring for yourself will help you to stay healthy, achieve goals, grow in your career or hobbies, and overall be a better presence for yourself and those around you. It’s a long-term investment in your wellbeing.
You can’t pour from an empty cup. It’s a cliché, but a true one! If you are not motivation enough to engage in self-care, then consider those who rely on you: family, children, friends, and your community. To prioritise your health and happiness is to benefit them, too.
Emotional self-care
This starts with recognising and acknowledging what you are feeling. Knowledge is power, and understanding your own emotions will help you to master them! Emotional self-care can include setting healthy boundaries with people around you, understanding and avoiding your emotional triggers, seeking therapy to heal any trauma, and meeting your own needs for things like alone time, socialising, and self-expression.
Mental self-care
Caring for your mental health is crucial to sustained, holistic wellness. In addition to seeking professional help where necessary, such as counselling, psychology, or psychiatry, there are many healthy habits that can support positive mental health.
Regular exercise, no screen time before bed, a good sleep schedule, journalling and mindfulness practices are all examples of mental self care. Creative outlets like sport, art, dancing, writing, and music are also beneficial.
Physical self-care
Most people are familiar with how to keep themselves healthy physically. Regular, healthy meals, physical activity, good sleep, stretching, and quality medical care all contribute to physical wellness.
Massage is a contributor to physical self-care; it reduces stress which can have physical effects as well as reducing lactic acid build-up and encouraging muscle recovery. Preventative habits and treatments like lymphatic drainage can have a fantastic long-term impact.
Social and spiritual self-care
As humans, we have social needs. Nurturing your interpersonal relationships is important to overall wellbeing. Per the World Health Organisation, social connection can improve health and longevity. Putting aside time to see friends and participate in gatherings or events can boost your mood - even when socialising feels like an effort.
Spiritual wellbeing can be tied into this; many people find that spending time with those they love or taking part in activities that fill their cup will contribute to their spiritual health. Other practices like mindfulness, experiencing nature, journalling, and participating in a faith community are all types of spiritual self-care.
Looking after yourself is important! We encourage you to find ways to fit yourself into a busy schedule. It doesn’t have to be expensive, time-consuming, or at the expense of anyone else: just ensuring that your emotional, mental, physical, social, and spiritual needs are met.