Self Care is a buzz word thrown around a lot these days however how much do we actually know?
A common misconception about self care is that its ‘selfish’ or ‘indulgent’ when really it’s the opposite! From a research perspective, having small moments of self care every day reduces overall stress, increases mental clarity and is good for your physical health.
Self care is finding and creating moments where focus is drawn back to you and your needs. This will look different for everyone, some people need individual time whilst others may enjoy self care activities with other people and/or their communities. Activities themselves should be things that support you to feel nourished and allow you to feel more settled. Time can sometimes be the biggest barrier for people to engage in self care activities. It’s important to remember with some self reflection, you can incorporate self care into every day life. Building small moments of self care is proven to reduce stress, increase mental clarity and is good for overall physical and emotional wellness.
Begin by asking yourself:
- What boundaries can I create to protect my own wellbeing? (e.g. only using my phone after breakfast)
- What activities or things do you want to see more in your life? (e.g. digging in the garden)
- What are you putting off that’s nagging at your brain? (e.g. getting that blood test)
By asking these questions you are starting to learn more about yourself, what you currently might do and what you want to change or see more of in the future. It is completely normal for your answers to change or evolve over time. Some weeks you may need to slow down whilst other weeks you may want to get more creative or physical with your self care. It important to listen to yourself in these moments and keep asking questions.
- Some small self care moments:
- Having your favourite hot drink in a nice mug
- Sitting outside in the sunshine
- Having lunch on the grass
- Having a warm shower
- Using essential oils
- Lighting some candles
- Taking a deep breathe and stretching
- Planning an adventure
- Playing with a pet
