How to Practice Self-Care in Your Daily Life

Why do I need self-care?

Self-care is essential for maintaining our overall well-being and ensuring that we have the physical, emotional, and mental resources we need to thrive. In today's fast-paced world, it's easy to neglect our own needs in favor of work, family, and other obligations. However, by prioritizing self-care, we can recharge our batteries, reduce stress, and boost our mood and energy levels. An important note from an article on self-care is that ultimately, self-care is not a luxury or indulgence, but a necessity if we want to live healthy, fulfilling lives.

The more we practice self-care, the more we are adept at handling this crazy world we live in.

Self-care is a way to take control of our lives. When we feel like everything we do is for someone else, or that we don’t have time to just be ourselves, it’s crucial that we make a conscious effort to do something that fills our cup.

This article gives a list of self-care ideas for both: Mental self-care and Physical self-care.

Self-Care Ideas that Benefit Your Physical Health

1. Eat nourishing meals full of nutrients, healthy fats, protein, and vitamins

2. Go on a walk

3. Keep up with a daily personal hygiene practice

4. Create a supplement routine for things you may be deficient in or could benefit from

5. Allow yourself rest when you feel tired.The world will be still be standing when you get back

6. Deep breathe or try a breathing exercise on Youtube

7. Move, shake, get up whenever you feel stressed or anxious - Literally shake. It. out. Or dance it out.

8. Respect your body as your tool to move through this world - it doesn’t have to be anything more than that!

9. Drink plenty of water to benefit your organs, boost energy and mental clarity

Self Care Ideas for Mental Health

1. Spend time with friends and family. Or call a friend you haven't talked to in a while!

2. Journal your thoughts to let them out

3. Express your true feelings

4. Meditate

5. Build a morning ritual; a reason to get up every morning, even if it’s just to have a cup of coffee and go back to bed

6. Prioritize yourself and your interests

7. Invest in a topic you’ve always wanted to learn more about

8. Try new things, take a new workout class, learn a new language

9. Observe thoughts as passing clouds not things you need to stress about

10. Know that your stress or anxiety about the situation can't change anything. Acceptance is the key to happiness.

11. Laugh at the peculiar nature of life. Laugh at its unpredictability, how ruthless, and incredible it can be at the same time

Why Self Care isn't Selfish

The most common misconception about self care is that it is inherently selfish. But it’s the people who think this that actually need to practice self care the most. If you feel guilty taking time out of your day to take care of yourself, all I have to say is that practice makes perfect. Like anything, self care is a practice we have to work on before it feels natural to us. Hustle culture makes it seem like this time is frivolous or too indulgent... But I’d argue this time is your god-given right. And without it, well, we just might feel a little crazy.

Self-care isn’t selfish because it helps us show up as more equipped versions of ourselves for the people or jobs that need us most.

The Benefits of Self-Care

The benefits of self-care spill out into all aspects of our lives: our quality of relationships, attitude, health, capabilities, and overall quality of life. When we take time to honor ourselves, we create a ripple that affects the lives of others and the world around us.

How to Incorporate Self-Care into your Daily Routine

So we know the importance of self-care... But how do we make attainable steps to incorporate this into our lives? When something seems overwhelming, humans have a tendency to disregard it entirely. And what a waste of time this article would be if it didn’t help anyone! So let’s talk about the baby steps.

Small Acts of Self-Care You Can do Right Now

Make a list of things you enjoy: Food, people, TV shows, and activities
Make sure your getting enough nutrients in your diet - If you aren’t, try filling in the gaps with supplements or functional foods that help us to adapt to stress
Write down a compliment you’ve received that made you feel good
Make yourself a warm, cozy beverage
Go on a walk around the block
Do one extra step in your shower routine that makes you feel extra pampered
Take yourself out to a meal or plan one with a friend
Make your bed in the morning
Practice self compassion - treat yourself like your own friend
Spend time in nature
Rest when you feel tired. Stop running on empty
Get to bed early
Drink plenty of water
Allow yourself to feel all the feelings
Write in a gratitude journal and watch as your overall life satisfaction sky-rockets. Read more on the benefits of expressing gratitude here.

In conclusion, practicing self-care is an essential part of maintaining our physical, emotional, and mental well-being. By making self-care a priority in our daily lives, we can reduce stress, boost our mood and energy levels, and improve our overall quality of life. Some key self-care practices include getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet, engaging in regular exercise or movement, practicing mindfulness or meditation, and connecting with loved ones. It's important to remember that self-care is not a one-size-fits-all solution and may look different for each individual. The key is to find practices that work for you and make them a regular part of your routine. Whether you have a few minutes or a few hours to devote to self-care each day, taking the time to prioritize your well-being is an investment in your overall health and happiness.After reading this article, we hope you can identify some ways you can engage in practicing self-care. In today’s day and age, self-care is more important than ever. Remember, the best way to show up in the world is after you’ve spent time filling up your own cup.