3 Ways to Self-Care
#1: Get to know yourself
Did you know?
People who care best about other people tend to have hard time knowing how to care for themselves. Indeed, they may even keep themselves busy with all other things except themselves just to avoid having to care for themselves. The main reason being that they don’t know how. It is often better to take care of other people than of oneself (been there, done that; — now that I know better, I do better).
Why self-care?
- Because no one better than yourself can know best how to take care of you.
- When we neglect self-care, all other areas of our lives are neglected as well. As the saying goes “you pull nothing from an empty cup”. Or at least nothing “valuable”..
- For the simple joy of enjoying your own company and developing an intimate relationship with yourself (the relationship with oneself being a central and determinant one).
- So that you don’t put the key of your own wellness in the pocket of another human being. And back to point 1: the other fellow human may not know how or may not be able to provide for your wellness.
Benefits of self-care
As Tchiki Davis, Ph.D says:
Self-care has been shown to reduce anxiety, improve productivity, boost mood, power up your immune system, and lower your risk for health concerns associated with chronic stress, like heart disease and diabetes. It won’t happen overnight, but self-care is like strengthening a muscle — you have to work it a bit to see improvement.
So here bellow:
3 Ways to get on the journey of knowing how to self-care
#1: Get to know yourself
Self-care above all means self-knowledge. Same as in a mathematic equation: in order to solve it, you have to understand it right? Same with oneself, in order to take care of yourself you have to know yourself: what do I like? what put me in a productive, creative state? what make me feel grateful? what kind of people bring the best out of me? what kind do the contrary? what kind of activities bring joy and wellness to my life?. The sky being the limit in terms of questions you can ask yourself in order to know yourself better. I am aware that this may sounds basic but it is not that easy to apply in everyday practical life. We easily get carry away by our other adult responsibilities that we neglect the basic things.
#2: Make a self-care list
I did this myself few months ago. I can already see positive outcomes…Choose 10 (or less) activities that make you feel at your best, the activities that bring joy and wellness. Those activities have to be something you do by yourself, it shouldn’t involve anyone else, not even your dog, cat or any other pets.
#3: Apply the self-care list whenever it is needed
Feeling like emotional or boredom eating? Have a look at your list and do few things on it. If you love food like me and your fridge is the go to place when you get bored or emotional, stick your self-care list to the fridge. Read and remind yourself of things that bring you joy except from food (or any other unhealthy sources of joy you may have).
I am still in the process myself, it is a lifetime learning field. Also because you grow (hopefully) and your interests may evolve as well. So remember to have your list up to date and apply it routinely.
Balance, I think, and self-care is something I want people to really take to heart. — Justin Simien
Until next time, take the ride to self-discovery. It is an amazing one: probably among the best one you can take in your lifetime.
One love 💜