How to Practice Self-Care and Why It Matters ⋆ NthaToday

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Self-care is a term you’ve probably been hearing a lot lately. It’s become a popular buzzword but can still be confusing to grasp the concept at its core. While the concept does involve taking care of yourself, there are more layers to it. What is self-care, why does it matter, and how can you start your self-care routine and journey?

We often don’t prioritise self-care during stressful times. It can be difficult to focus on anything but the bare minimum when life gets hard. The fact is, though, that these are the days when you most need to take care of yourself. Having a self-care toolkit and a list of self-care routines can make it easier for you to implement them when needed.

What is Self-Care

Self-care involves nurturing your body, mind and spirit. It focuses on building yourself up so that your internal resources don’t become depleted. Essentially, self-care is being as good to yourself as you would be to someone you care about. It requires you to show yourself compassion and encourages you to be vulnerable with others, asking for help when you need it. What doesn’t fall under the umbrella of self-care are self-destructive coping mechanisms such as using drugs, drinking, gambling or retail therapy. These things only make you feel good in the short term.

The Benefits of Self-Care

Embracing self-care can be difficult for those who always put others first. However, giving all your energy to those around you without filling your backup leaves you depleted and empty. That’s no way to live. Instead, spending time and effort on yourself rejuvenates and energizes you. Taking time to indulge in your interests demonstrates your worth, leading to improved self-esteem and a more positive outlook on life. It teaches you a lot about yourself and provides you with insight into what you need to be the best version of yourself. Self-care helps you better cope with stress and to prioritize what’s important to you. You’ll be better able to take care of others when you also take time to meet your own needs.

Self-Care List

There are countless ways to add self-care to your routine. The key is to choose activities that are most enjoyable to you and provide you with the most benefits.

Going for a walk in nature and enjoying the outdoors.
Exercise like yoga, running or going to the gym.
Spending time with friends can be rejuvenating.
Allowing yourself to decline invitations or favours when you’re feeling run-down is a big part of caring for yourself.
Treating yourself to a favourite, affordable indulgence like a movie, manicure or ice cream cone are all good examples as is taking a long bath or meditating.

These are just a few of the ways you can easily incorporate self-care into your life. Now you know what self-care is and why it’s important. You’ve also got some ideas of how to get started, so you’re well on your way to adding this useful practice to your life.

Start & End Your Day With A Little Self Care

Like any new habit, adding self-care into your life can seem kind of tricky. You probably wonder how you’ll manage to find time to do anything extra for yourself, let alone how you’ll remember to do these things. One of the best ways to get started is to build your activities into predictable parts of your day. To make something a habit, it has to happen regularly. Read on for some helpful tips for making a self-care routine part of your life.

Personalise it

The first thing that will help you in creating your self-care plan is to choose activities that are meaningful to you. This is your practice, so you want to be sure it’s customised to get the most out of it. Consider making a list of things that help you to feel relaxed, peaceful, excited or happy. These activities should not be too time-consuming and be able to easily fit into your life without special equipment or tools. As you begin your practice, keep it as simple as possible.

Make time

You should add your self-care rituals to the most convenient parts of your day. Choose times that are already somewhat flexible so that incorporating something new into that space will be less stressful. Many people go with morning or evening routines, right when they wake up and before going to sleep each night. Getting up fifteen minutes earlier than usual and setting aside some time during the usual night-time schedule is easily doable. However, maybe designating your daily lunch break as your self-care time might work better for you. Consider activities like writing a gratitude journal entry before bed, listening to music while having your morning coffee or going for a short walk during your lunch hour. Try different things until you find something that gels with you, but find a moment to call your own every day.

Be Flexible

It’s best to come up with a routine that works for you and stick to it. Committing to a particular schedule will help you to create a habit and ensures that you get the self-care you need. However, try to cut yourself some slack. Some days are more hectic than others. You may not be able to fit in your anticipated self-care activity, and that’s okay. Tomorrow is a new day, and you can try again. Soon, you’ll find yourself wanting to take part in these routines, and getting back on track will be easy.

Getting into the practice of regular self-care doesn’t have to be difficult. Making a few adjustments to your existing schedule can free up some space in your day. Choosing things that will refresh you and that are simple will make getting started a breeze.

Try Something New Today To Care For Yourself

Creating habits and adding activities to your calendar help increase your chances of sticking with your new routine. Another way to keep things interesting is to treat yourself to things you’ve always wanted to do. Adding new experiences to your self-care routine is like giving yourself a little gift every day. It’s a great way to stay motivated to do things to care for yourself.

Pamper Yourself

Taking physical care of yourself in a pampering way makes us feel good. Pampering is a go-to for many people when it comes to their self-care routine. Think of something you’ve never done before. It doesn’t have to be expensive. A small act of indulgence can have the same effect as an extravagant one. Maybe consider scheduling a manicure if you’ve never had one. A bubble bath with candles can be soothing if this is something you don’t do very often. If your budget will allow, a spa day with a friend could rejuvenate your body and spirit.

Celebrate Today

Most of us don’t buy ourselves presents very often or even give ourselves little treats. You can change that starting now. Think of something within your budget you’ve been wanting for a while now. Then permit yourself to buy it. Maybe it’s those pair of shoes you’ve had your eye on or the cell phone upgrade that would make your life easier. Giving yourself one gift, no matter how small, can be a boost to your self-worth.

Enjoy the Little Things

Self-care doesn’t have to be on a grand scale. Even the smallest gestures can be meaningful. Indulging in small free or low-cost treats allows you to spoil yourself more often. What are some little things you can start adding to your life today? Have you ever bought yourself flowers? Give it a try. You’ll get a boost every time you see that beautiful bouquet on your table or desk. Think of your favourite food item, the one you have on special occasions. Why not make one day a week a little more special by trying a new version of it? Get creative with it.

Adding new experiences to your self-care routine keeps things interesting and can also help make them more meaningful. The novelty will also expand your world and enrich your life. Plus, it’s just fun!

Make a List

Let’s start with your self-care backup plan. This is a list of at least five activities you can easily fit into your life during the most stressful periods. Having such a reminder on hand will help you gain the benefits of caring for yourself without having to think about it too much. This list can include simple reminders like going to bed early so you get enough sleep, eating nutritious food to keep your energy up or asking for help you need because these are all things you might forget when you’ve got a ton on your plate. During times of trouble, the very basic foundations of self-care can be the most important.

Make a Self-Care Hamper

Another way to boost your chances of keeping self-care focused during hard times is to prepare a care package ahead of time. This can include some of your favourite little indulgences like a good book, herbal teas, a facial mask, fuzzy slippers and a soothing playlist. Include anything that brings you joy. Being able to reach for this package when you’re stressed can mean the world and make a huge difference to your outlook.

Get your loved ones Involved

When things look bleak, you may require a bit of help to get back on track. That’s why it’s a good idea to reach out to trusted friends and family now to enlist their help for the future. Talk to your closest confidantes and let them know you would like them to always encourage your self-care routine. Share with them the benefits it’s provided you and tell them you’d appreciate their assistance if they see you aren’t caring for yourself as well as you should be. Sometimes those who know us best can see things we don’t.

Taking steps to plan now can make maintaining your self-care routine easier in the future. Always remember it’s during the hardest times that you need to nurture yourself the most.

Self-Care Doesn’t Have To Cost Anything

Lots of people get the wrong idea about self-care. They think they have to be deserving of it. They feel like it’s splurging to do something good for themselves. It’s time we change that mindset. Self-care is something you deserve. Everyone does. It benefits us all, along with those around us, when we put our well-being first. You can’t take care of others when your well-being is suffering. Let’s take a look at some free and low-cost ways you can care for yourself.

Take a Time Out

Sometimes just a little bit of alone time is all you need to feel rejuvenated. So why not give yourself a time-out? Lock yourself in your room with a nice cup of tea. Listen to some quiet music. Just sit still and think for a bit. It’s a luxury we all can afford.

Do NOTHING!

We often feel pressured to be productive all the time. Being busy is a sign of worth and accomplishment. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. Just kicking back and doing nothing is important to recharge our batteries. Let yourself have some downtime to do something frivolous like binge on your favourite Netflix show, take a nap or just sit and pet your cat. You deserve it.

Lady journaling while listening to music

Put pen to paper

Even if you don’t consider yourself a writer, journaling can be a very therapeutic activity. Jotting down what you’re grateful for has proven beneficial to your well-being. It can also be energizing to simply do a brain dump in which you write down all the things that are floating around in your head. Jotting down dreams for the future might inspire and motivate you to take action. Give it a try.

Reach Out to Someone

Socializing is a crucial part of self-care. Even introverts benefit from interpersonal connections. Humans aren’t meant to be isolated. Pick up the phone and call a friend you haven’t talked to in a while. Meeting up in person for a walk together or a cup of coffee is even better. Connecting to others might just provide the spark you’ve been missing.

Change Your Perspective

A change of scenery can be a wonderful source of renewal, and it doesn’t have to cost a lot. Just heading out to walk in your neighbourhood might help when you’re feeling stir-crazy in your home. If you’re able to afford it, a low-cost staycation to a nearby location for a day or two is a fun way to switch things up. You’ll be surprised what this change of perspective can do for you.

While these are just a few of the countless ways you can indulge in self-care without spending much money, perhaps they’re just the jumpstart you need to begin exploring this concept. You truly do deserve to spend time, energy and effort on your well-being.

Don’t Feel Guilty For Practicing Self-Care

Many people feel guilty for spending time and resources on self-care. There are a lot of complex reasons for this within our society. Despite what anyone else may say, you deserve to focus on your own needs. It’s good for those you love when you take care of yourself. You truly can’t fill another’s cup if your own is empty. So, I’d like to take this opportunity to emphasize why you shouldn’t feel guilty for practising self-care and encourage you to do so in every area of your life.

Self-care is not Selfish

First and foremost, you must understand that taking time to care for yourself is not selfish in any way. It may be hard to get past the mindset that the needs of others are more important than your own, but overcoming this mindset is essential to allowing yourself to adequately meet your own needs. Care isn’t a zero-sum concept. When you care for yourself, it doesn’t have to mean you don’t care about others.

Self-care is Necessary

Self-care isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity. It is like the airplane air mask comparison. You have to ensure you can breathe before you can help those around you. If you’re tired, rundown and overwhelmed all the time, you cannot give your best self to others. You also can’t offer yourself the very best. Remember that self-care isn’t selfish.

It Sets a Good Example

If you’re a parent, investing in self-care is not only good for you, it sets a good example for your kids. Even if you don’t have children, taking the time to care for yourself might be inspiring or motivational for those around you. For a stigma to end, it has to be normalized. When more of us let the world around us know why self-care matters, they may begin to change their minds about the concept, as well.

It Demands Respect

It also sets a precedent for how you expect others to treat you. When you demonstrate that you value yourself and that you find it worth investing time in yourself, they will respond in kind. Learning to say no and set boundaries is important for your relationships. It teaches others how you expect to be treated and makes it clear that you see yourself as a priority. There’s no reason to feel guilty about that.

It will take time to overcome a lifetime of the messages society has given you and that you’ve internalised. With practice, you can come to see the benefits of self-care and that it doesn’t have to be something that causes guilt.

Try the FREE 7-Day Self-Care challenge to get started.

Why People Fail So Badly at Taking Care of Themselves

Even when you know how important self-care is to your well-being, it isn’t always easy to incorporate it into your daily routine. Did you know many people fail when it comes to taking care of themselves? We’ll look at why people generally fail when it comes to self-care and the main things holding them back.

It is often perceived as selfish

One of the main reasons people fail to take care of themselves is because they feel it is selfish. It could be that you feel guilty when you take the time to focus on yourself. Or, you may worry about what other people think, or that you are a terrible parent for not focusing solely on your children’s needs.

It is a total myth that self-care is selfish. It can help you to be a better parent, friend, spouse and relative. The more you take care of yourself, the easier you’ll find it to take care of others. You’ll also show your children the importance of self-care. Teaching them to take care of their own needs is a crucial life skill that’s going to help them to grow up to be happier adults.

It requires effort

There is no getting away from the fact that self-care does take some level of effort in the beginning. When you aren’t used to making self-care a priority, you’re going to need to make quite a few changes to your routine.

Coming up with a self-care plan can feel like a chore, making it easy to put it off. However, there are ways to reduce the effort. For example, focusing on one thing you want to improve at a time can help. Perhaps you’d like to start working out more? Scheduling time to exercise as soon as you wake up, for example, can be a great start. Or, if you’re looking to drink more water, focus on that goal first.

If you break down your self-care tasks, it makes them much easier, reducing a lot of the effort involved.

Different approaches work for other people

Everyone is different, which means we enjoy and dislike different things. When you initially look at examples of self-care, you’ll find a lot of them relate to things like reading a book or taking a hot bubble bath. These types of activities aren’t for everyone so they might feel self-care isn’t for them.

Self-care isn’t just bubble baths, yoga, and meditation. It is anything that relaxes and takes care of you. So, if you find going for a run is a more effective way of feeling good, that would be classed as a self-care task.

If you find one self-care approach isn’t working, try something else. Self-care should be personal to your own needs.

These are the most common reasons people fail to take good care of themselves. It can be difficult overcoming the initial barriers to self-care. However, once you fully understand what and how important it is, you’ll find it much easier to stick to a self-care routine.

Tips To Continue To Take Care Of Yourself

Self-care is a process. It requires practice and dedication if you want to make it stick. Don’t get discouraged if it takes time to make this new concept a part of your life. It’ll get easier, and you’ll probably find yourself craving your self-care activities so much you’ll wonder how you ever lived without them. However, there will inevitably be times that are busier or more stressful when self-care may go by the wayside. If you find that happening, be sure to follow these tips to continue to take care of yourself going forward.

Follow Your Gut

Sometimes we get so busy that we find ourselves living on auto-pilot. That’s only natural during hectic times, but you must attempt to listen to your instincts during these times to know whether you need a boost. When you start to feel especially frazzled or fatigued, that’s not a cue to double down and work harder. It’s your body and mind telling you that you need a break. Listen to your body! Along these lines, look for other unusual signs that things are off balance with you such as irritability, eating poorly, losing sleep or indulging in bad habits. These things are telling you to take care of yourself.

Schedule It

A trick that helps some people to fit self-care into their schedules when life gets busy is to write it in their date book or calendar. Treat your self-care commitments like any other appointment or event. Write down the time you’ll start and finish. Try to be specific about the activity you’ll engage in. Doing these things will increase the odds that you’ll follow through. It’s easy to put yourself on the back burner when life gets crazy, but don’t forget that these are the times you need self-care the most.

Create a Self-Care Plan

Developing a self-care plan is crucial to maintaining your well-being. I shared some ideas in a previous blog post about how to do this. Let’s review a bit, as it’s so important to have a self-care toolkit at your disposal during life’s busiest and most stressful periods. Keep your emergency self-care list and your care package together so they’re easily accessed when you need them. You also make sure there’s a list of trusted contacts to call when you might need some self-care encouragement and accountability. Your tribe can provide the motivation and support you need to take care of yourself.

Finally, take time to assess your self-care needs regularly. This will also help to keep you on track. Ask yourself once a week or so if you’re giving yourself enough time and attention. Listen to your instincts. Make adjustments as necessary. Self-care is an ongoing and evolving process. It requires your constant attention.

Love, Everyday

Ntha

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