Self-care has been a buzzword of the last decade or so. And while some may see it as just an excuse to pamper ourselves, that doesn’t lessen its importance to our well-being. Defined as “the practice of looking after your own health with the knowledge and resources available to you,” self-care includes everything you do to take care of your emotional, psychological, physical, and spiritual health. Simply put, there’s a lot more to self-care than just pampering yourself.
Why do we need it?
Maintaining a clean(ish) home, going to doctor’s appointments, running errands, and exercise are just a few of the self-care activities that we may put off until the last minute or avoid altogether. In doing so, we aren’t thinking about how we are creating roadblocks for our future selves and potentially adding to our stress levels. But it’s not just about you. Caring for yourself has a positive effect on your relationships as well. After all–to loosely quote Rupaul, if you can’t take care of yourself, how the hell are you going to take care of somebody else?
If you’re in need of some self-care activities to add to your repertoire, take a look at the following list.
- Spend time in nature.
- Exercise.
- Meditate.
- Spend time with friends.
- Practice gratitude.
- Prepare a nutritious meal.
- Practice good sleep hygiene.
- Take a break from social media.
- Learn something new.
- Practice mindfulness.
Although it’s often overlooked as a part of healthy living, self-care is essential to your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. With all of our obligations in this day and age, it’s easy to forget to take care of ourselves, but that makes it all the more important. Fortunately, many self-care tasks usually require little time and effort and still make a huge positive impact on your health. As you embark on your own health journey, be sure to make self-care a priority for a happier, healthy life..