The concept of self-care is one of those ideas which is being talked about more than ever as an idea. It’s something I’ve been thinking a lot about myself.
I recently saw a beautiful quote by Brianna West– which really summed up self-care for me – and why it’s so important.
This is not to say that bubble baths and cake isn’t self-care – I think sometimes it absolutely can be – but it might also be things like:
- Saying no to projects / plans / events that you don’t have time for
- Having boundaries and articulating them with others (when I say boundaries – I do not mean rules that you expect others to follow, but rather outlining what you are or are not prepared to do or say).
- Listening to your body: This might be things like: ‘Am I hydrated?’ ‘Do I need more sleep?’ The difference I feel personally when I eat well, drink lots of water and get a decent amount of sleep is huge!
- Actively moving: going to the gym, going for a walk, running, games, or yoga – whatever floats your boat. There’s heaps of science that shows that physical exercise is linked to improved mental health
- Making decisions about how to use your time: ‘Do I want to go out and socialise?’ ‘Do I want a space for myself?’
- Getting out into nature or making time for hobbies that you enjoy
- Self care might also be committing to counselling sessions to explore difficult situations that you need or want to address
- Self care could be something like reducing time spent using social media
(The picture above is from a recent trip to Haytor, Dartmoor for a walk!)
Of course the above isn’t an exhaustive list – it’s just some of my own examples. But it’s a great place to start for looking after yourself. At its most basic – self-care is asking: ‘What do I need right now?’
I’d love to hear some recent experiences of self-care and what that’s looked like for you.
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