What is Self-Care?

Self-care is about giving ourselves relief when we feel overwhelmed. It is about addressing our problems holistically. Self-care activities are usually carried out, or at least initiated by, the person themselves. To care for yourself, you need to know you needs and seek them out.

Why Is Self-Care Important?

While it is easy to say that self-care is some new indulgent fad, this is simply not true. People have been talking about the needs for self-care—and the mind-body-spirit relationship that self-care helps foster—for many years.

In fact, the first mention of self-care goes back as far as the Egyptians, where they discussed self-care ideas like using specific oils to improve moods and fight ailments .

How Practicing Self-Care Can Change Your Life

The first thing to remember about self-care is that it is not indulgent.

As with a plane that has lost pressure, the right thing to do in life is to always help you first. Then, when you have your gas mask in place, you can assist others.

The reason for this is simple. Until you are helped, you are likely to cause more problems and become part of the overall problem rather than being part of the solution.

Self-care is all about taking care of the little things that matter to help heal you so that you can become part of the solution.

Mental Self-Care Ideas and Activities

At times, your mind may need rest and recuperation, while at other times you may be looking for stimulation and challenges. Without both timely rest and exercise, we run the risk of our minds slowly turning to mush.

• Avoid toxic people

• Learn not to feel selfish when you say “no.”

• Take “should” out of your vocabulary. Stop feeling you “should” be doing things.

• Take a nap without an alarm clock.

• Learn more about your local history.

• Challenge your negative thinking.

• Unplug from email and social media for an hour.

• Read a magazine.

• If you’re feeling overwhelmed with too much social interaction, go home. Don't be afraid to cancel plans or say “no.”

• If you play an instrument, try learning a song from a genre or artist you don’t usually listen to.

• Take a mental health day.

• Do some hardcore nesting and make your home or bedroom as cozy, beautiful, and comforting as possible.

• Put the dishes away.

• Fix a small annoyance that’s been bothering you at home.

• Check your to-do list for something that's been there for ages, and get it done.

• Declutter a room or a small space.

• Write a review of a business (restaurant, shop, or even Amazon sales page) you like. Spread some good will and positivity.

• Develop a relaxing evening ritual.

• Pick and read a book that’s easy and fun, then give it away, perhaps to a younger person in your life.

• Make your bed.

• On days when you lack self-confidence, try on expensive suits and dresses at a local boutique and see how good you look.

• Work on a jigsaw puzzle.

• Attend a 12-step or group meeting where support is offered.

• Listen to a chapter or two from an audiobook.

• Make a Spotify playlist based on your current mood.

• Start a journal to record your thoughts and experiences.

• Forgive others who have hurt you in the past.