What does self care look like to you?
I’m not going to answer that question, instead I am genuinely asking it.
Self care has become a bit of a buzzword, particularly in marketing and advertising - along with terms like wellness.
Whilst it is great that talking about mental health and wellbeing is more commonplace = and we certainly should not feel spending money on things which we enjoy is wrong - there can be a lot more to looking after our wellness than bubble baths or coffee and cake.
A good way of ensuring you are practising self-care is to first identify what that actually means for you.
Some of us are fully recharged by a good night out with friends while others really need time to ourselves.
Some people thrive on routine and order, while others enjoy unstructured time to do nothing particular.
Depending on your own personal body clock you may feel most rested by an early night while your partner may need a long lie in to catch up on sleep.
A busy person may thrive on an afternoon curled up watching films or reading a book, while someone who is cooped up indoors for their working week might crave a weekend out in nature, camping under the stars or getting their hands dirty with some energetic gardening.
For many of us it is finding a balance which restores our wellbeing when it is feeling a little lacking.
Having your own personal barometer of levels of busyness, time alone versus time with others, mix of active and restful time, stimulation and relaxation, healthy and hedonistic, and working on understanding what that balance is for you personally is key.
It is also good to realise that this can change over time or in different circumstances and adjust your routine accordingly.
Checking in with yourself and doing a regular audit on how you are doing can easily fall off our to-do list, particularly if we are busy or already feeling a little under par with our wellbeing.
Noticing the things which perk us up and those which drain us is a skill well worth honing so that we can find small self care wins to tide us over as well as having go-to ways to indulge in treats for ourselves when time, money or other resources allow.
A blend of quick boosts and things to look forward to is much easier to incorporate into our lives when we can visualise what those things might look like.
I encourage you to take some time to really consider what self care looks like to you - perhaps note down some thoughts. Think about what brings you peace, calm, happiness, joy, feelings of wellness.
Visualise what makes you sigh with relief or just let go of stress, what makes you smile to yourself when you imagine yourself doing it, what your ‘best half hour/afternoon/day off/week of self care’ might look like and try to factor in those things for yourself.
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