Self-Care is about prioritizing self. No, it does not promote selfishness. Self-Care is about celebrating how every human being is unique and different in their own way.
SELF CARE IS, CARE FOR YOU, BY YOU.
Having said it, it is then logical to add that so are their needs and requirements – biological, emotional and mental. This makes the concept of “self-care” relevant and important. Self-care is unique for each of us.
The way one cares for self will be very different from how someone else cares for himself. However, self-care is not a new terminology, especially in India. Ayurveda has always preached about understanding the “doshaas” of your body and providing the care accordingly.
WHAT IT IS NOT?
“Self Care is not Indulgence, it’s Discipline.
It is not about Spa Treatment, Luxurious Vacations, Organic Bath Products, Binging Dark Chocolate, or having an expensive wine.
It’s being sold as consumerism to us. As we are becoming a byproduct of a lifestyle obsession.
IT’S ABOUT :
- Power to Say No
- Power to Make One’s Choices
- Freedom to do Nothing
- Introspect
- It’s a little bit about Heart Over Mind
- It’s a little bit about Moderation
- And a whole lot more.
WHO IS IT FOR?
Everyone. One and All. Especially for Women.
Women spend most of their lives and time nurturing others. Be it at work or at home. They look after their family, friends, children, partners and never have enough time to care for themselves. This often leads to stress, unhappiness, depression etc.
Self – Care for women will work as a balancer, helping them feel unburdened, calm, and refreshed. Self – Care can help women build up confidence, develop hobbies, have some me – time, and do things that make them happy.
SO WHAT EXACTLY IS SELF-CARE?
Self-care is any activity that is deliberately done purposely by an individual to take care of his or her mental, emotional, and physical health. Sounds very simple, doesn’t it? Not so for most of us. We often overlook self-care.
Simply put, actions that contribute to well-being, better health and promote human development can be termed as Self Care.
A good self-care is required in order to have a balanced emotional being. It is important in order to have a good relationship with oneself as well as others.
Self-care is also a conscious decision.
If asked most of us whether we take care of ourselves, the answer would be a confident “Yes!”. The reality is very far from this. We often overlook self-care. There are numerous motivations around us in the form of people who love us, news content which talks about issues we face if we don’t care for ourselves, social media that provides fascinating ways to do self-care, easy access to experts who can help you understand how to take care of yourself etc.
However, whether we do take care of self or not is the step that we have to personally take. No one else can make that choice for us.
SELF-CARE IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF YOUR DAILY ROUTINE.
It is not an option or something that you do whenever you have time should be done day in and day out in order for it to truly make the difference in your life. It has to be ingrained in your thoughts and actions so that you can make a conscious effort every time to taking care of yourself. Self-care plays an important part in staying on track and being grounded in what is the right thing for oneself.
SELF-CARE IS SIMPLE.
It is about doing small things that make you happy every single day. Instead of waiting for an occasion or someone else to make that decision for you.
Doing it daily will develop a healthy relationship with self and others around. It need not be spending long hours on working out a routine.
It could be simple like eating a healthy breakfast, 15 minutes of exercise or meditation in the morning. Making it a routine will help to develop habits and discipline to keep oneself healthy and happy physically, emotionally and mentally.
IT IS A VERY POWERFUL PROCESS.
It makes you feel good about yourself from within which positively affects your relationships, your work, your health – almost everything that you do is affected by self-care. Self-care is not being selfish.
Many times we get so involved in taking care of others and things around that we forget to take care of ourselves. We also forget that it is only when you are happy that you can make others around you happy.
If you neglect yourself it will soon affect your mental and emotional being which will obviously be passed on to others knowingly or unknowingly. Thus, self-care also leads to collective care.
Though self-care is defined and followed differently by different people, there is a basic to-do list for each one of us.
- Follow a diet which suits your body type
- At least 7 to 8 hours each night
- Exercise regularly. 30 minutes of a brisk walk can work wonders for your body!
- Follow yoga or meditation to relieve stress
- Spend time with family
- Socialise with your friends
- Avoid phones while eating your meals and your bedroom.
- Never miss an opportunity to laugh!
- Listen to your favorite Music
- Gardening or Cooking can be Therapeutic.
- Maintain a Journal
- Sleep for 6 – 8 hours daily. Our body takes a hit when we are sleep deprived.
- Read a book.
- Learn Something New as a hobby or a skill
Bottom line – Activities that help you relax, unwind, reflect, take a step back from your daily chores help your mind, body, and soul to grow, be at peace, and be happy.
SELF CARE BELIEVES IN PREVENTION OVER CURE.
While taking the right medicines at the right time is important, it is equally important to avoid consuming medicines by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. In today’s world full of processed and junk food it is very difficult to avoid unhealthy eating at times. It is fine to indulge once a while after all self-care is about keeping oneself happy. It should refuel us rather than taking away from us.
CONCLUSION
So let’s get started today with self-care by making those little conscious changes in our daily lives. It is essential for living a healthy lifestyle without stressing too much. If you want to love your family members, friends, colleagues etc. start by loving and caring for yourself.
List of a Few Books that Can help you Understand Self-Care & Practice it:
Mindfulness
It is about the traditions of mindfulness. It’s about Meditation, Yoga, Breathing techniques and more. It will provide tips and tricks to implement to ease yourself into a life of self-care. From eating, walking, chore routines to exploring thyself, reconnecting with your roots, your personality, your goals and channelizing energy for a peaceful and happier lifestyle.
How to be Happy
One of the most underrated forms of self-care is writing a journal. It’s therapeutic. The author Lee Crutchley takes us through a journey to find happiness.
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying up
One of the most self-aware communities who practice self-care is Japanese. In this book, we learn how tidying up our surrounding, our minds, our relationships etc can lead to happiness.
Hope these books would help you in practicing self-care, help you in understanding the term better. And would guide you to a path of happiness and fulfillment.
You can also check our blog on Fitness 101 for working professionals. to learn more about Health care and secrets to a healthier lifestyle.
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