The Basics of Self-Care

With an increased awareness of issues related to wellbeing and mental health, we’ve seen more emphasis placed on self-care post-pandemic. Self-care is an essential part of looking after yourself, both physically, spiritually and mentally. What exactly is self-care and what can you do to promote happiness, security and wellbeing within yourself?

The types of self-care: Self-care is the process of maintaining good health and a state of wellbeing within yourself. The three most common (and arguably important) types of self-care are physical self-care, emotional self-care and spiritual self-care.
Emotional self-care – This includes taking steps to recognise, understand and process your emotions in a positive way. Many of us lead stressful and busy lifestyles, but failing to take the time to nurture your emotional state can lead to potentially serious problems with both physical and mental health.
Physical self-care – As you might expect, physical self-care involves looking after and maintaining your body and physical health. While it’s easy to get distracted by work and everyday obligations, you must exercise physical self-care to stay healthy and happy.
Spiritual self-care – Closely connected to emotional self-care, spiritual self-care is all about nurturing your spirit and taking the time to get in touch with the world around you. Although spiritual self-care may be intertwined with religion for many people. You do not have to be a religious person to practice spiritual self-care.
How can you achieve all these types of self-care? – Now that you have a better understanding of the three main pillars of self-care, let’s take a look at some simple ways to incorporate a self-care regime into your everyday life. Try to factor these in if you’re in the process of creating your own self-care plan:
Emotional self-care – There are numerous ways to practice emotional self-care, from visiting a therapist or psychiatric professional to discuss your emotions to confiding in trusted friends and family when you’re feeling down in the dumps. Try to set healthy boundaries within your life, even if that means cutting out people who could have a negative impact on your emotional wellbeing. It may help to keep a journal documenting your emotional state each day. You can work towards improving your mental health using NHS-recommended support services including dedicated tools, exercises and activities.
Physical self-care – One of the easiest ways to practice physical self-care is by exercising regularly, getting enough sleep and sticking to a healthy, balanced diet. Physical self-care also includes maintaining good hygiene and working on your outward physical appearance. This may mean visiting a service that provides hair removal in Jupiter, FL, or in your local area, so you can have that sense of pride within yourself. Don’t be afraid to spoil yourself with a spa treatment or some new threads. Never neglect physical injuries, no matter how minor they may be – if you’ve suffered an injury due to an incident beyond your control, don’t hesitate to make an injury claim with accident claim solicitors.

Spiritual self-care – Common ways to promote spiritual self-care include spending time in nature and attempting to find meaning in your everyday actions – spiritual self-care is all about finding your place in the world and seeing the bigger picture. While religious people may find solace in practising their creed and attending ceremonies. Atheists can practice spiritual self-care too by working towards their goals and trying to complete at least one act of kindness each day.

Do you practice self-care? What steps do you take?