Self care isn't selfish it is important!
Posted by amy on Feb 5, 2019 | 928 Reads
Self-care has become quite the buzz word of late and rightly so. There is no shame or harm in taking care of yourself, in fact it is essential for a healthy mind, body, and soul. Self-Care has had a bit of bad rep in the past, it was seen as being selfish, however, now more and more people are realising that it isn’t selfish, its important.
Self-care should be something which is a focus around each day. We really should take better care of our bodies and minds. The body is an incredible vessel which we really don’t give it enough credit nor look after it. The mind is powerful and we really do need to be careful about what we think (“What we think, we become”- Buddha).
During in periods of stress then we really must up our self-care game and ensure that the actions going forward are in our best interests. We can’t always control things which happen in our lives, but we can control how we take care of ourselves. When we are not taking good care of ourselves then we become tired, run down, have poor nutrition and therefore you are likely to be reactive to the stresses of life. You may be even creating more problems for yourself by reacting poorly rather than from a place of calm and strength.
Self-Care is about as it is about putting yourself at the top of the list. Making sure that your health and fitness is good, that you have a good diet, you get enough sleep, have supportive relationships around you, you push yourself, set goals, know the importance of making time for “me time” and doing this regularly.
When we practice self-care then this means that when everyday stresses and life’s little plot twists come up, we are able to manage these from a much more relaxed place and become more resilient. We live in such a high paced world today, we have to consciously make time to practice more self-care. It should be as high up on your list as those things which maybe aren’t so good for us!
When we make self-care part of our lives then we actually become more productive, we have better energy and our wellbeing is on an ultimate high. We have a much more grounded and positive outlook; our bodies are not in a constant state of fight or flight with all those chemicals flooding the various systems. We are calm, relaxed and the body is filled with all the good chemicals making us feel good. When our internal cup is taken care of then we really can handle anything which life throws at us!
Self-care also comes in many different ways and will be different for each and everyone of us, yay to individuality! It is primarily about taking good care of yourself, doing things which are good for you, noticing what is bad and saying no or doing less of that. Establishing a balance between work, home, and family. Self-Care includes self-awareness knowing when something is out of balance or to recognise people, things, places, activities really do not do us any good. It even includes recognising when you need a duvet day!
Top ways I practice self-care:
8 hours sleep, Yoga, Meditation, Recognising when I am running on low and replenishing, Planning my weeks, Long hot soaks in the bath, Healthy diet, Regular exercise, Good friends, Journaling, Skincare regime (nothing fancy!), Non-Toxic household cleaners and room sprays (make different combinations of essential oils depending on the room!), Reading, Pushing myself to reach my goals, Positive affirmations, Treat days, Daily gratitude, walks in nature.
There are many other ways, find what works for you, whatever serves you for the highest good of all, whatever makes you feel good inside and out. then do more of that.
Make self-care a top priority and start to practice more of it, your body and mind will thank you for it.
You can make yourself happy or miserable, it’s the same amount of work, I know what I choose!
Love and light,
