What is Self-Care? and How to Improve It
Do you know what self care is? Taking care of yourself is one of the most important things you can do for yourself, your family, and everyone in your life. When you take care of yourself first, you have more to give others. You’re better able to nurture relationships and to create love, joy, and bliss in your life.
When you’re burnt out from always giving, nothing feels very fun or joyful. Instead, everything feels like hard work and struggle. It’s exhausting. And this not only affects your relationships–but it also affects your health, your work, and even your children’s well-being.
Imagine how your life would change if you could joyfully give to others rather than feeling overwhelmed or stressed about how much you are asked to give? What if you felt as though what you can do for others is truly a gift rather than an obligation?
What Is Self-Care?
Self-care focuses on nurturing and fostering internal growth to bring about the best in you. Just as a regularly maintained car runs better and looks sleeker, a person who regularly maintains his or her body, mind, and spirit will feel and look younger.
Some key features of self-care include:
• Learning to trust your gut, or your bodily intelligence
• Listening and responding to your body
• Building self-esteem
• Finding healthy relationships
• Establishing boundaries within relationships
• Learning to say “no” – and not feeling guilty about it
• Eliminating the clutter in your environment and in your life
• Taking care of things that you have been avoiding
• Identifying your own unique needs
How Do You Get Started With Self-Care?
Self-care always starts with a self-inventory to determine what stands in your way. You must boldly and bravely look at your inner and outer environment, honestly identifying blocks. Once you have identified the problem areas in your life, significant life changes are usually the next step. Many of these life changes have to do with self-care to bring balance back to your life in order to improve the quality of your life.
What Are The Benefits Of Self-Care?
Self-care is a necessary part for psychological wellbeing. Taking care of yourself starts a cascade of positivity. When you nurture yourself, you have more energy and positivity to bring to the world. Your interactions with others will be more positive. You will likely do more giving than taking. When you spend time taking care of yourself, you fill up your own cup to the point that it begins to overflow into the lives of others.
Other benefits of self-care include:
• Increased self-esteem
• Care for other more effectively
• Boost conscientiousness
• Increased compassion
• Learn to love genuinely
• Become your authentic self
Simple Things for Improved Self-Care
Here are some simple things you can do to get started:
• Take a hot bath
• Go to dinner alone
• Journal
• Spend time alone
• Get out in nature
• Go out and have an adventure
• Make a list of what you are grateful for
• Read a book or something fun and easy
• Exercise or just move your body
• Take a long hike or walk
• Create something
• Say no
• Get a massage
• Take a nap
• Sing or listen to music
• Have sex
• Snuggle (partner, pets, kids)
• Watch a fun, inspiring, or funny movie
• Get take-out or have someone else do the cooking
• Buy flowers
• Drink something soothing (tea, coffee, cocoa)
• Play outside (play in the mud, have a snowball fight)
• Walk on the beach
• Enjoy the sunshine
• Hold someone’s hand
• Listen to an upbeat song and dance around
• Make a list of things that delight you
• Turn off technology for 24 hours
• People watch
• Create (art, crafts, paint, sculpt, knit, crochet, sew, design, draw)
• Swing on a swing
• Rock your body (Rocking back and forth can be very soothing)
• Daydream
• Take a mental health day
• Have a movie marathon (Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, Star Wars, The Godfather, Rocky movies, etc.)
• Have no more than 3 things to do at any one time
• Eat cleanly and simply
• Stop watching TV
• Experience your emotions
• Find a local support group
• Say “I love you” to yourself
• Get a mani/pedi
• Go window shopping
• Have a game night
• Write notes to friends to thank them for being in your life
• Explore your town, neighborhood, state, country
• “Get lost” in your city and find new unexplored places
• Do a random act of kindness or “pay it forward”
• Write a love letter to yourself or someone else
• Write a gratitude journal
• Notice the beauty in your environment
• Try something new
• Do something brave or that you’re afraid of (sky diving, bungee jumping, taking a dance class, etc.)
• Go to an art gallery
• Treat yourself
• Play music or sing
• Have a family slumber party
• Don’t get out of your pajamas all day
• Wear your favorite outfit
• Give yourself permission
• Clear out the clutter
• Hire a house cleaner or organizer
• Hire someone to do the yard work
• Plant a garden
• Be generous
• Watch the clouds
• Go horseback riding
• Forgive
• Make a bucket list and do something on the list
• Play with your animals
• Stimulate your inner child
• Watch kids movies or shows
• Smile at a stranger
• Call an old friend
• Stop complaining
• Go boating, waterskiing, or swimming
• Buy yourself a balloon or an edible bouquet
• Make up a dance
• Be still
• Schedule fun time for the family
• Jump in the leaves
• Make your favorite foods
• Drink lots of fresh water
• Spend time with friends doing something fun (picture scavenger hunt, charades, dance party, etc.)
• Get up early
• Take a vacation
• Take a mental vacation
• Get pampered
• Clean out the attic
• Adopt a positive attitude
There are TONS of ways to improve your self-care so don’t limit yourself to just one. Always remember that self-care makes it possible for you to give others the best of you instead of what’s left of you. I hope this helps.
In Good Health,
Amber Stewart BS,
Holistic Nutritionist
Certified Master Life Coach
ACSM Exercise Physiologist,
CTNC Mental Health Specialist
TBMM Corrective Exercise Specialist
Hi! My name is Amber and I’m a Body Goals Builder, Master Life Coach, Certified Health Coach, CTNC Mental Health Specialist, Stress Alchemist & Fear Conqueror
I used to be a people pleasing, work-a-holic who stressed herself out to climb the wellness industry’s corporate ladder, while obsessing over her self image. I soon realized that none of it mattered if I wasn’t happy with myself, inside and out, and surrounded around people who loved and respected me.
I now help individuals who are stressed out, out of shape and struggling to find balance in their lives learn how to ease their worries, improve their health, create 10x more joy in their lives and manifest the life of their dreams. At the STEW Project, we are maximizing our living potential by Simply Taking an Emphasis on Wellness.
3 Comments
[…] Self-care is one of the things that many busy people neglect. It can be easy to be there for other people, for family, work, the communities, but what about the self? When you give to the point of depletion, you do not have anything truly worthwhile to share with others. When you take the time to fill up your tank, you can then give from a place of abundance and joy. For tips to practice self care, check out my blog post on self-care by click here. […]
[…] and creating boundaries is so important. For more information about self care, check out this blog post. If you want to learn about 6 common myths about self care and how to improve your self care […]
[…] Fact: A walk outside is free. So are deep breaths, self-massages, turning off screens, drawing, reading, petting an animal, and touching your toes. There are numerous things you can do that are free or inexpensive to care for yourself. In fact, just having quiet time alone where you won’t be interrupted for 20 minutes can be incredibly healing and soothing for your body and your mind. For tips on improved self care, click here. […]