The Selfless Act of Self-Care

Self-care is a phrase that I first heard as an adult. It’s something that I first began to practice in 2016. But without knowing, I began teaching my children in 2006 in a physical sense, but it wasn’t until 2017 that I taught them about mental well being. Self-care is whole well-being care which includes mind, body, and spirit. Here are some ways to help boost your self-care game and a few ideas to share with others too.

First and foremost always put God first. Spend time with the Lord. Spending time in His presence allows you allows you to become familiar with His promises and who He calls you out to be. You can consume from the fruits of the spirit and claim all of His gifts for yourself. Try completing a Bible Study, listening to worship music, praying, journaling his works and wonders, or keeping a gratitude list. Talk to him and lean into Him as if he were sitting right beside you. Develop a relationship and keep it at the forefront of everything you do.

Help support your mental health by freeing up some of your space dedicated to memory. Free up headspace so you can live in the moment and be present in your best life. Don’t preoccupy yourself trying to remember every idea or task inside your mind, instead relieve some of your angst by doing a brain dump. Write down everything on your brain onto a piece of paper and either save it for later or take time to prioritize it.

Not sure how to do that? Check out this worksheet.

Take control of your surroundings. Is your social media feed getting you down? Sometimes we forget that in real life, we distance ourselves from people that may steal our joy or drain our energy for our greater good. But we follow them on social media because after all, they are our friends, we just don’t like to the around them for too long, and this allows us to do just that. Keep in touch at a distance. But what we forget is that reading things that don’t uplift us do the exact opposite, they weigh us down. Take time to unfollow or unsubscribe any page, account, person, or email that doesn’t inspire or encourage you. You are in control of what voices you allow to speak into your life.

Read. My pastor says people who lead, read. Choose a book to read that challenges you or teaches you something. Not into reading books? Read something short, like an informative article or an inspiring blog post. Still not a reader? Try an Audiobook. You can read along with the audiobook and start from there. Not a reader at all? Stick to Audiobooks or Podcast. They can inspire and teach just as well as a book.

Now that the weather is changing make sure to spend time outdoors whenever possible. Soaking up that natural Vitamin D does a body good! A short 30-minute brisk walk is good for the heart, mind, and body. Even on a rainy day sitting in front of a sun-soaked window sill can be beneficial. You can use your walking time to pray, meditate, or think absolutely nothing at all and free your mind.

Plan one thing each month just for you that will breathe new life into your essence. A spa day, or a day at the beach to read and journal. A day in the mountains for a hot bath and hot cocoa. Send everyone else out for a day so you can rock out to your favorite playlist while working on your hobby. Be intentional about filling yourself so you can have enough to fill those you love.

Set a health goal. It can be exercise-related, sleep-related, food-related, it can be about water intake or your mental health practices. It can be anything you want. Already have one? No problem. Take time to review the health goal you set last quarter and see if you need to add more baby steps to achieve it or if it’s time to set a new one.

Find your passion project. Is there anything you always wanted to try? Something that you told yourself you would learn someday when you had the time? Perhaps pick up something you used to enjoy. Pick up your running shoes and train for that 5K and get moving if that’s your thing. Zumba, kickboxing, walk every day if that’s what you want. Start writing in that journal you bought a few years ago, take that startup blog course, learn how to crochet, start painting again, open up your sketchbook, or even pick up your camera. Find something you enjoy and start doing it. This simple act can help lift your spirits, be calming, and relieve stress.

Take inventory of your feelings. So many times, we don’t take the time to recognize our feelings because we are so hurried throughout the day. Take note of any angst, or source of overwhelm in your life. Keep a journal or write down changes in feelings. Allow yourself to put it down, walk away, say no, or cut it out of your life. Choose your Yes.

Notice your body and how it feels. Pay attention to what gives you a headache. Could it be your water intake is too low, maybe it was a trigger food or a smell? What food makes you feel sluggish or bloated. What are the first signs you notice when you have to use the restroom? Take time to know your body and how it works? This will support your health and recognizing when something is wrong for early detection and prevention.

Self-care is not selfish. Self-care is the most beneficial thing you can do for yourself and others around you. It allows you to remain whole and complete which allows you to help others.