Self…Why Don’t You Care? 13 Self-Care Tips for the Mind, Body and Soul
Today I woke up completely exhausted, the fire that I needed to help me role out of the bed and start my day just wouldn’t ignite. I sat on the edge of my bed and thought about my daily schedule, because there is clearly not that much happening in my life that I can’t function the next day, I don’t think. Morning routines to get my children and I ready for the day, 8 hours of teaching, after school activities with my kids (I love being a Karate and Cheer mom but man does that consume time), and then clients sprinkled in between.
What about me??? We all fall short when it comes to taking care of ourselves. Consistency is the key!!
In our day to day lives we find ourselves attempting to meet the needs of employers, children, spouses, friends, or society in general. Making sure that every task set before us has been accomplished. The big question is, when does self become important? Self-care in the last few years has become a very familiar term, but is nothing new. In the counseling profession having your client engage in self care plays a big role in their progression.
So What is Self Care?
Self care is a way of refueling and tending to your own needs because your needs matter. Often times when discussing self care with my clients, I use the car analogy. Our bodies, minds, souls, and spirits are like a brand new automobile. When you purchase a car it is scheduled to remind you of scheduled maintenances. You have your oil changes every 5,000 to 6,000 miles, and here and there you will need to replace parts, tires, and fill up that tank. If these things are neglected that car begins to break down and although it will run for a long time without those maintenances, it will not run with precision. Our bodies are built the same way, it requires scheduled maintenance work, part replacements and fill ups. If you run a car until it gets empty, it stops driving and the same goes for you. Aaron Karmin, MA, LCPC a psychotherapist at Urban Balance describes self -care as self preservation and compares it to putting your own oxygen mask on before helping others on a plane.
“A selfless person puts others mask on while they choke. A selfish person puts their mask on and leaves everyone else to choke. A person practicing self-preservation puts their mask on first and then helps those around them.” - Aaron Karmin, MA, LCPC
We are often finding ourselves in the selfless category in our lives, many times turning blue in the face while we assist everyone else on the airplane with their masks. By the time we have finished helping everyone else and reach to place our mask on, we have died.
So What Next?
Its hard to think of yourself without feeling like you have neglected the people around you and all of your other responsibilities, but WHAT ABOUT YOU? You are your own responsibility and if you neglect yourself, you are unable to take care of the things that are important to you. Part of self love includes practicing self care, so how do you it?
Here are 13 self care tips that you can choose from to make apart of your life, you may find it hard to make these practices and activities a daily routine but a little time for yourself is definitely progress.
13 Self-care Tips for the Mind, Body and Soul
1. Get down and DANCE!! Put your favorite upbeat song and dance around the house.
2. Stretch, your body is screaming for a stretch, if you’re at work sneak to a bathroom to avoid strange looks.
3. Take a stroll. A walk through the park, a run on a trail, even a relaxing walk on the beach. Taking a stroll gives your mind and body a change to calm down, and it even burns a few calories!
4. Have a good laugh. Laughter is like a wild fire, once it starts, it is uncontrollable. Start with a giggle and let it flow!!
5. Take a nap. 10 to 20 minutes can reduce the feeling of lack of sleep and leave you ready to take over the world
6. Journal. Writing your thoughts down gives you an opportunity to clear your mind of the chaos that may take up space. The goal is not to dwell on those thoughts, but to simply give your mind an opportunity to be clear.
7. Date yourself. Spend an hour alone doing something that nourishes you as a whole.
8. Pray and Meditate. Although for many people this is a daily routine, it is often done in the rush of life. Find a quiet spot where you can be uninterrupted and pray and meditate,it can be soothing to the spirit.
9. Check in with your emotions. Be aware of how you are feeling, learn to identify what triggers your emotions and find a way to consciously respond, and become aware of your language and what you say to yourself.
10. Unplug for an hour. Switch everything to airplane mode and free yourself of the notifications from emails and social media.
11. Go slower. Stop, Breathe, and Enjoy what your a doing in that moment.
12. Box full of Positivity. Write positive quotes, affirmations, and compliments to yourself and place them inside of a nice little box. On those days when you are feeling a little low, reach in the box and encourage yourself!
13. Do one thing that just makes you happy!! You deserve happiness, even if happiness is you laying on the couch watching your favorite episode of “The Big Bang Theory” (Definitely happiness in my eyes). Either way DO IT..because it makes you happy.
Today is the day to make YOU a priority!!!..I will be the first to start