When it comes to self-care, having a specific plan of action is the best way to achieve the results you desire. Here are the top areas of self-care to focus on:
Physical Self-Care
This applies to activities that are physical in nature:
- Getting adequate rest
- Daily exercise (yoga, walking, strength training, swimming, etc.)
- Limiting consumption of junk food
- Increased intake of fruits, veggies, water, lean meats and healthy fats
Sensory Self-Care
This means to slow down, relax, and be in tune with your surroundings and overall mindfulness:
- Take a moment to enjoy the serenity of a beautiful sunset (or sunrise).
- Enjoy a quiet meal instead of rushing through it.
- Close your eyes and reminisce about a happy or joyous event from your past.
- Take a relaxing bath or shower.
- Lie down, close your eyes and listen to your favorite songs.
Mental Self-Care
Having a sharp, healthy mind is critical to self-care. Examples of mental self-care include the following:
- Repeating positive affirmations daily
- Limiting exposure to negative stories, images and people
- Reading thought-provoking books
- Learning new things and keeping an open mind
Emotional Self-Care
This type of self-care focuses on feelings:
- Feelings should be acknowledged, not suppressed or ignored.
- Give yourself permission to cry, laugh, grieve, feel afraid, love, be loved, etc.
- Discover your stress triggers and how to effectively deal with them.
- Create personal boundaries to minimize being hurt or taken advantage of.
- Learn to say “no.”
Adventuresome Self-Care
This type of self-care means to live life to the fullest. Discover ways to enjoy life and look forward to waking up each day. Examples of adventuresome self-care include the following:
- Embark on challenges that get you out of your comfort zone.
- Take a class, workshop or seminar on a subject that interests you.
- Take a trip to a new city, or country.
- Find something to look forward to.
Spiritual Self-Care
Not to be confused with religion, spiritual self-care can be defined as a sense of connection to something bigger than ourselves. Others associate it to discovering the meaning of life or finding a common connection that unifies us all, regardless of our differences.
Examples of spiritual self-care include the following:
- Treating others the way you want to be treated.
- Following the laws of karma, where a person’s actions have a direct effect on future events.
- Learning to forgive others, not letting hate or animosity consume you.
- Being thankful and appreciative for the things you have.
- Receiving joy from helping others in need.
Self-Care: Putting it All Together
In order to be the best a person can be, it’s important to work on all areas of self-care simultaneously. For example, physical self-care won’t be as effective without working on mental self-care. By knowing the various self-care areas and how you can improve them, you’re one step closer to reaching your full potential. Start working on your self-care today. Your mind, body and spirit will thank you.
