Self-care Useful Tips
SELF-CARE: Well-being Awareness Happiness Preventative care Emotional Intelligence
This area explores how well you treat yourself. From selfrespect through to pampering. Self-education and personal development.
Why to we avoid or delay caring for ourselves? We do so much for others, why do we neglect ourselves? Often this may be misinterpreted as self-indulgence or selfishness, however this is far from the truth. A relevant analogy comes from the airline steward’s advice in an emergency to put on your oxygen mask first before you are able to help others. The same applies with self-care.
Self-care can be divided to include your emotional wellbeing as well as your personal development. Each area is as important as the other to achieve that elusive holistic balance. Like anything worthwhile it takes conscious effort to plan and do things for yourself. It may require scheduled time-out away from distractions.
Whatever it takes, know self-care is one of the most beneficial ways to improve your confidence and happiness. It is not optional it is actually essential to your health.
Try these tips:
- Feel good check, What things make you feel good? Do a self-check and list the activities you enjoy the most. It may be as simple as a long relaxing soak in the bathtub with the candle fragrance, soft music and all the pamper items needed. What about that inspiration book you started and never seemed to find time to finish. Just get started.
- Get outdoors, Where is that favourite spot where you can just sit and calmly think or admire the scenery? Find that special place in the city, forest, mountain or beach and just…be!
- Yoga, Centuries of tradition has proven mind body activities as an essential method to boost your mood. Natural feel-good body chemicals are released when performing yoga. These also help lift your spirits to a more calm and peaceful state of mind.
- Breath, Find some breathing exercises that are simple and quick. The benefit of leaning this technique is that it can be done anywhere, which is particularly useful in stressful situations.
- Emotional Intelligence (EQ), We all understand intellectual intelligence, yet not so many have learnt about emotional intelligence, referred to as EQ. Research it and start checking your mood periodically through each day. You will be surprised how it helps smooth out any daily mood swings.
- Self-love, Be kind to yourself. There are no negatives to self-love. Take a close look in the mirror and speak you praises about everything you are so good at. Applaud your uniqueness and special traits, tell yourself in a firm confident voice just how much love you have inside.
- Give yourself permission, One of the reasons we struggle with self-care is obligations. Time constraint or habits often get in the way, so stop occasionally and give yourself a break. Give yourself permission to have that catnap in the middle of the day if you can or that extra treat you have been putting off. Don’t feel guilty you deserve the best.