Staying healthy on the go
August 15, 2016
Finding a work/life balance
September 12, 2016
The importance of self-care
'Self-care' seems to be one of the 'buzz-phrases' of the moment. You may already be quite familiar with it or just dabble in the odd self-care action. It's something that I took ages to really understand and incorporate into my life on a regular basis. I always felt guilty for some reason or another - whether it was putting myself first, or having to say no to something or someone else.
It was only when I finally reached my limit of doing things that didn't serve me, and started putting my genuine needs first through doing small regular things that made me feel good deep inside, that I started to notice and make BIG positive changes in my life as a whole. I totally understand the importance of self-care now and want to help encourage as many people as possible to include it in their lives. Here are a few reasons why self-care is so important.
Self-care involves actively setting out to do something which is good for your individual needs and desires. It can take many forms such as regular, good sleep; eating healthy food; meditating and relaxing; doing something creative; getting into nature; or seeing friends.
Even though self-care actions may seem simple they are essential to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and replenishing you, making you more effective and energetic. Plus doing things that make you feel better physically and mentally will help increase your confidence and self-esteem.
Self-care is not selfish. It helps you maintain a healthy relationship with yourself, and creating time for yourself each day is vital for overall wellness.
Self-care can keep you healthy as it includes physical activities like exercise, also just taking time out of your day to do something you enjoy can help you to de-stress. Self-care can help you take a break from technology, and recharge and unwind, which is so important especially in the fast-paced world we live in today. It can also help you manage physical or mental health symptoms to live life as fully as possible.
Self-care is important for your family and friends too. If you are not at your best you can’t give your best either. Friends and family will also learn from you, so setting boundaries to take care of yourself shows them that they also need to put themselves first and not overwork or overextend.
However, self-care only works when you listen to your body, and do what you want without resistance. If you don’t enjoy meditation or yoga, don’t do it. There are many ideas and ways we can care for ourselves, the important thing is to do something that feels good to YOU.
Need some more self-care in your life? You can join my next free self-care challenge here.
If you would like support around your wellbeing in any way, please book in a free 30 minute call with me here and let’s chat to see how I can best support you.
Photo by Roman Kraft on Unsplash
