A Spin On Self-Care

Hi friends! I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase “self-care” a million times, but you may not have heard some original ideas on how to practice it. Self-care is generally seen as a few basic things: going for a walk, eating healthy, going to sleep at a good time, but really, self-care is so much more than these simple activities.

To successfully practice self-care, you have to understand the what, when, why, and how:

What: Self-care is not only taking care of your body, it also includes taking care of your mind. Self-care is meant to foster a sense of safety and comfort and can help protect your mental health and well-being, keep your body healthy, and help manage troubling feelings and emotions. A large part of self-care is taking the time to engage in activities and events that bring you joy and a sense of fulfillment. Therefore, it is so important to identify activities that make you feel taken care of!

When: It may sound challenging or unattainable, but you have the ability to practice self-care at any point throughout your day. Self-care activities can be big, planned pastimes, but they can also be simple things such as saying no to things that don’t bring you happiness, et cetera. You should practice prioritizing your physical and mental health at all points throughout the day, even if it seems unattainable.

Why: Why do we practice self-care? It may seem like a question with an obvious answer; “so we are happy and healthy”, but again, it’s so much more. There are some simple answers: it helps manage your stress, lowers your risk of illness, increases your energy, etc., but there are some purposes that many people don’t consider. We practice self-care to bring ourselves fulfillment, meaning we do something in order to satisfy the idea that we should complete this task. For many people, fulfillment means feeling accomplished and productive. We also practice self-care in order to reduce or limit stressors like anxiety and depression (among others); doing activities that alleviate these negative feelings is one of the most vital reasons to practice self-care for many people. Finally, practicing self-care can also aid in boosting one’s sense of self-love and acceptance. Boosting self-love and acceptance is one of the most important reasons to practice self-care. Having a positive relationship with yourself is a great foundation for all of these other mental-health achievements.

How: Although there is no single way to practice self-care, knowing what works best for you is something that so many people struggle with. Further, self-care activities fully depend on the person practicing them. It’s very possible that taking a walk helps me successfully clear my mind and reel in my stress, but that may not be effective for someone else. You have to learn to tailor your self-care practices to your own feelings of fulfillment and success. Though I am unfortunately unable to tell you the exact activities that will help you specifically, I have compiled a list of things that you won’t see from just any random Google search. 

If you love nature then you may enjoy having a picnic with friends, family, or maybe just by yourself. While self-care is often seen as a solitary practice, doing these activities with a group of people who love you and want you to be happy can also help immensely. That being said, doing these things alone can really help you connect with yourself, which is of so much importance.

If you love to read then create an environment for yourself that makes you feel comfortable and relieved of stress. Maybe you want to curl up by the fireplace with a cup of coffee and immerse yourself in a rom-com novel, or maybe you’d rather sit twisted up into a blanket on your porch swing with your dog reading the next fantasy book in your collection. Whatever it is, create a comforting and safe environment to read in. Surround yourself with things that set the mood for your novel, make it fun! Make it mysterious! Make it quiet! Make reading feel exciting and comforting for you, not for anyone else!

If you love food then give yourself a few hours to meal prep! I’ll let you in on a little secret, meal prepping does NOT have to be the fancy steak dinners that you see people spend an entire Sunday making. Meal prepping can include making little snacks that you can grab throughout the week, comfort meals that you want to stock up on, or maybe for you it consists of preparing lunches for the week ahead. It can mean whatever you want – that’s the beauty of it!

While this is a limited list of ideas, the possibilities of self-care are unique and endless! What self-care means to me is likely not what it means to you, and that is completely okay! The things that you have enjoyed throughout your life, make those into common practices throughout your week!

The phrase “self-care” may sound intimidating, but take your Google searches with a grain of salt, because self-care can be all the things you love. Whatever makes you happy, that is your self-care!