The Best Health-Care is Self-Care
By now you know that Self-Care is any activity that we do in order to take care of our mind, body, and spirit; and that a solid Self-Care routine will improve your mood, reduce stress and anxiety, help you build healthy relationships, and so much more. That’s a pretty broad definition, to be sure, but it’s for good reason. There are various types of Self-Care, and you will employ different ones depending on the situation, on your mood, and on whether you’re trying to care for your mind, body or spirit or some combination of all three.
Types of Self-Care
Self-Care can be categorized into several different groups. There’s Physical, Emotional, Spiritual, and Professional, just to name a few. Let’s delve into some of the different facets of Self-Care, what they look like, and when you might employ each of them.
Physical Self-Care
Physical Self-Care includes activities you do that improve the well-being of your physical health. This could look like the superficial things we sometimes equate with Self-Care like manicures and face masks, or it can look like important healthy habits like eating healthy foods, staying hydrated, and getting an adequate amount of quality sleep.
Emotional Self-Care
Emotional Self-Care is learning to be aware of, to react to and to understand your emotions in a healthy and non-judgmental way. Taking care of yourself emotionally allows you to better cope with strong emotions and express them in a healthy way, which will have a direct impact on your overall quality of life. If your emotions tend to get the best of you or you’re the type who ignores your feelings altogether, then making Emotional Self-Care part of your daily routine can really help. You can foster your Emotional Self-Care with activities that help you connect to yourself on a deeper level, honor the emotions that come up and then process them. This might include journaling, painting, seeing a therapist, etc. Emotional Self-Care can also be as simple as tuning into your internal dialogue – how are you speaking to yourself? If you are being verbally abusive, a simple switch like including positive affirmations in your day can help you change the tone of negative self-talk you use in your own head.
Spiritual Self-Care
Spiritual Self-Care entails activities that deeply nurture your spirit and soul. It is connecting with a higher power and finding a deeper meaning in your life. Spiritual Self-Care is often overlooked as it might not be as easy to practice as Physical or Emotional Self-Care, but it is just as important as the other types of Self-Care as it will help you live a more grounded life. Spiritual Self-Care doesn’t need to be religious, although it can be. Common forms of Spiritual Self-Care are meditation, self-reflection, going to a place of worship, spending time in nature, etc.
Professional Self-Care
Professional Self-care is a crucial element of Self-Care for those in the workforce. Work is a common source of stress in our lives today and when we are stressed, our productivity suffers. Professional Self-Care allows you to focus on your work-life balance, which can lead to more stability, happiness and sense of wellbeing in the rest of your life. This could look like getting up from your desk and changing your surroundings for a bit, taking a walk or stretching, taking time to talk with coworkers, decorating your workspace in a way that makes you feel happy and comfortable, taking breaks when necessary, and leaving your work at work.
Professional Self-Care in the workplace is just one of the topics we discuss in our program Self-Care Providers present, The Power of Self-Care Six-Part Series. This program, offered as an add-On to Lunch & Learns, is available as a half-day or full-day program, and can be tailored for team building or individual personal growth.
We work with you to develop a program that will best serve you and your group. We deliver half-day and full-day restorative workshops at healthcare facilities, corporations, yoga studios, churches, and community facilities. We start with universal themes and work with you to hone both messages and outcomes. Core themes offered include:
The Power of Self-Care – Six-Part Series:
Part 1 – Learning to Love Ourselves
Part 2 – Self Care – Is an Act of Love
Part 3 – What Do Our Stories Have to Say
Part 4 – Our Gifts Are Sacred Treasures
Part 5 – Living Into Our Dreams
Part 6 – I Carry My Light into the World
Click HERE to get more information on The Power of Self-Care – Six-Part Series and to inquire for pricing and details.
Keep in mind the examples that fall under each of these categories are not set in stone. Going out in nature could be spiritual self-care for one and physical for another, and it could be a mixture of multiple forms of Self-Care for others. Here’s the thing: Self-Care is all about what gets you through and soothes your soul. And it might not be the same thing as what the next woman wants or needs, and it doesn’t matter. One of the best parts of self-care is that it can (and should be!) different for everyone – do what feels right for you.
Sometimes, however, we have to battle against feelings of guilt when it comes to our own health and wellbeing. And if that sounds familiar, you are not alone. Stay tuned for the next installment of this 5-Part Series: The Best Health-Care is Self-Care Part 3: When Self Care Feels Selfish
