Self care is often misunderstood as being selfish or self-indulgent, when it is in fact a conscious act of prioritizing your mental, physical and emotional health. It is all about taking good care of mind, soul, and body by learning how to eat well, reduce stress, exercise, and focus on your hobbies. We often neglect self-care. This is due to negligence and also because most of us are tied up in a hectic schedule every day, have stressful jobs, and are highly consumed with technology to even take some time out for ourselves. In today’s world only having sound health is not enough. Mental wellness plays an important role as well. Read here to know the importance of understanding and recognizing mental health. Please read further to see how incorporating the below 6 tips in your life can help you engage in self-care.
Be Assertive
Often saying “no” is accompanied by an overwhelming feeling of guilt, feeling inadequate, not enough or incompetent. For many of us, saying no is not just awkward, it feels wrong. Saying ‘no’ is a skill one can sharpen with time by establishing boundaries at work, at home, and with friends.
Plan and Audit
Self-care is different for everyone, it isn’t one size fits all scenario. Your self-care plan needs to be aligned with your needs. When you discover that you’re neglecting a certain aspect of your life, create a plan for change. Keep your progress in check, celebrate your wins, understand your failures. Reassess your life often, as your situation changes, your self-care needs are likely to change too.
Learn to express your feelings
Anger, frustration, and agitation are completely normal and a hundred percent valid feelings. Suppressing these feelings is extremely harmful and can take a toll on your mental as well as physical health. Explaining your perception without coming across as aggressive is a skill that can help solve most of your life problems.
Healthy Diet
We are what we eat. It has been proven throughout centuries that your gut health can make pivotal changes to your mental and overall well-being. As a thumb rule, the portion in every 1 serving should be as such – 0.5 veggies and fruits, 0.25 protein, and 0.25 carbs. Track your water intake throughout the day, plan to ensure you drink enough every day. Sufficient water intake will optimize your brain function.
Make a Fitness Plan
Regular exercise boosts serotonin levels in your brain which results positively to impacting your sleep cycles, appetite, and digestion. Exercising works like magic for you, just 30 minutes of cardio 5 days a week can drastically improve your overall wellbeing. Apart from physical exercises, we often fail to practice mental exercises. Our brain is involved in everything we do, hence, exercising brain should be incorporated in your routine for memory, focus and daily functionality.
Relax
Take a breather, detach from everything, forget about your deadlines, just for some time and appreciate your presence on this earth, live in the now. These exercises every day for 15 minutes before you go to sleep will help you combat feelings of depression and anxiety.
If you are looking to up your self-care game, get in touch with me on my website. I will be pleased to take you through a step-by-step guide on how you can ace your mental and physical health by staying focused and consistent. Refer to my page for additional resources that will be beneficial for you as you partake on this journey.