Self Care: why you matter
What is self care?? Is it spending thousands on fancy spas? Is it eating salads all day? Simply put, the answer is no.
Self care is an important step in our journey into self love. Doing the things that make you feel happy, that make you feel good- that is self care. Spending heaps of money, doing what you see on social media is not a prerequisite to following self care. The two are simply not synonymous.
So, what is self care?
The Three Kinds of Self Care
Taking care of oneself can be split into three rudimentary parts, namely; body, mind and soul. The former refers to looking after and cherishing one’s body- your physical vessel. The second, is based on nourishing one’s mind- your brain, your knowledge. The latter involves feeding one’s soul- your mental health and your happiness.
It is important to note that the basic premise of self care is to revitalize and rejuvenate yourself. Aping what you see influencers do on social media is definitely not the way to go. Try things out, see what suits you best- see what makes you happy.
Nourishing one’s body
Finding it difficult to start? Here are a few examples of how to practice self care for your body:
Exercise, yoga or pilates
Eating healthy, nourishing foods
Sleeping on time, taking naps when needed
Taking long walks
The list is endless- in the end, all you need to focus on is ensuring that you feel good during and after you practice this
Nourishing one’s mind
Here’s another list of things you can try out to practice self care on your mind:
Learning more about your hobbies
Reading books
Cleaning your surroundings- a cluttered space is your mind’s own kryptonite
Talking to people, engaging in stimulating conversation.
Once again, this list is not exhaustive, and there are a million more things you can do to feed your mind.
Nourishing your soul
No one aspect of self care is more important than the other, however, the world we live in today, tends to ignore the needs of one’s soul. Here are some things to try out:
Meditation, even for five minutes.
Creating things that you want to- writing, painting, gardening, etc
Spending time with the people you love
Watching comfort films and shows
Making a warm cup of tea or hot chocolate
Treating yourself to a good meal or a day at the spa
Do whatever works for you.
We live in a world where everything moves fast, and as a result, even without realizing, we do it too. Which is precisely why, it is imperative to take a moment everyday for yourself, to love yourself. It may not seem like much, but it can make all the difference.
To anyone feeling stressed and overwhelmed right now; try any one of the things mentioned. Don’t think about the work you have yet to do, or the results you got. Just focus on you for a minute, and I can tell you, you’ll feel a whole lot better.