Self-care has become a buzz word synonymous with pristine, filtered images of face masks and bubble baths without any clutter or distraction. Those may be part of your self care regimen, but the roots of self care are much more basic and the acts are usually far less glamorous.
What is self care?
Self care is the conscious act to take care of yourself for the benefit of your physical, mental and emotional health. Daily acts of self-care affect your health positively in the present and contribute to the longevity of your health for your future. Self care can help you to combat stressors in daily life, and allow you to have the functional capacity to care for others too.
What self care is not…
Self care is NOT one-size-fits-all. Self care should NOT be stressful.
Self care is CARE for your SELF. To compare your self-care to someone else’s self-care routine is, quite frankly, a waste of your precious time and your limitless potential. What YOU need for physical, mental and emotional health is unique to YOU. Please repeat that to yourself until you believe it.
What self care may be…
Self care may be hard. It is not easy to prioritize yourself, especially if you are used to always putting the needs of others before your own. It takes time to build better habits, but I guarantee that if you practice caring for yourself, you will get better at it. What have you got to lose?
The Self Care Checklist
This self care checklist was created with the intention that it is specific enough to guide you, but broad enough that it can be adapted to every individual with your own unique self care needs.
1. Know Your Limits
This may be a great time to take on a new passion project or to help your neighbor with a move; you may have the resilience and the capacity to take on more. If you feel any red flags for burnout in your life or you just know deep down that your tank is nearing empty, then learn to say NO. We all have limits.
2. Keep Good Hygiene
If you feel better having a shower every day, do that. If you only wash your hair once a week but that works for your hair, then great. You will feel better mentally and emotionally if you look after yourself physically, but there is no hard-fast rule for what good hygiene means for you.
3. Get Enough Sleep
Stop focusing on the number of hours, and start paying attention to how you feel. As humans we all require sleep to rest, rejuvenate and recharge, but that number of hours will vary from person to person, and your age and stage in life. Check-in with your energy, mood and focus. If those are generally positively sustained throughout the day, then you are likely getting enough sleep. If you’re unsure, talk to your doctor.
4. Nourish Yourself
Some people feel their best with periods of fasting, and some feel steadier with consistent meals throughout the day. Do what works best for your mind and body. It is important to nourish our body with healthy, nutrient-dense foods, but it is also important to enjoy your life (remember, self care should not be stressful), and if that means sweets or treats to balance it all out, don’t beat yourself up.
5. Stay Hydrated
You need water to survive, but the amount you consume depends on many factors. Physical signs of thirst, dry or cracked lips or dark urine may indicate that you are not drinking enough. On the flip side, your urine should not be completely clear, so don’t overdo it. Pay attention to the signs.
6. Move Your Body
A brisk walk, yoga, barre, spin class, rock climbing, marathon training … move your body every day in ways that serve you. Exercise releases happy hormones in your brain that improve mood and reduce stress, so you will experience mental and emotional benefits along with the physical benefits of improved strength, speed, endurance and/or flexibility.
7. Take Breaks from Hard Things
If your job is causing you undue stress or your marriage or doing your taxes, take a break! It can be hard to step back and pause, or to ask for space, but we all need a break from constant stress. The break will likely rejuvenate all aspects of your health as well as renew your patience, creativity and resilience to face that darn hard thing once again.
8. Be Aware of your Thoughts
Your thoughts can affect your body physically. For example, if you are worried about an outcome, you may unknowingly create more tension in your body and elevate your heart rate. On the contrary, if you are focused on positive thoughts or a happy outcome, your brain will release those happy hormones making you feel more physically relaxed. If you can learn to notice your thoughts, you can also learn how to change them or let them go which can have a positive impact of your mental, emotional and physical health. If you need some guidance or a tool kit for unpleasant or unwanted thoughts (ex. anxious or depressive) find a therapist with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) experience.
9. Do What Brings you Joy
It may be connecting with friends, having a bubble bath, putting on a face mask, watching a funny movie, reading a book … whatever brings you joy, makes you feel happy or relaxed or just less tense, do more of that.
10. Connect to Something Higher
You may call it God, HP, Source Energy, the Universe, Mother Nature – it is the belief in something greater than our singular human experience. You may find it helpful to connect to something higher, especially in challenging times in life. You may even learn to call on this ‘something higher’ to manifest something greater for yourself or your life.
What have you got to lose?
1The Science of Self Care. NU MAG. https://nuscimag.com/the-science-of-self-care-f727587f47b4
2 What self care is and what it isn’t. PSYCH CENTRAL. https://psychcentral.com/blog/what-self-care-is-and-what-it-isnt-2/