3 Ways Self-Care will Improve Your Life

Work & relationship responsibilities demand a lot of our time & energy. And it can feel selfish to delegate any of that time to take care of ourselves.

But, when we take a look at the cost of not investing into our own self-care, we see there is nothing selfish about it.

Stress & anxiety are part of daily life. The human body holds onto & stores stress unless we do the maintenance necessary, aka: self-care, to release or express it.

Over time, the buildup of chronic stress & anxiety can lead to high blood pressure, insomnia, digestive issues, a depressed immune system & mental health issues.

Prevention costs less than repairs.

And the reality is, practicing self-care will set you up for success & prevent illness or burnout. Self-care allows you to take care of your daily responsibilities, while also finding joy in the process of being human.

What is self-care?

Self-care is:

• Maintaining a healthy relationship with yourself through activities that promote your physical, mental & emotional well-being.
• Taking responsibility for your feelings so you don’t project them onto others.
• Giving yourself time to focus on personal goals & projects you enjoy.

Self-care means being aware of your needs & making time to replenish so you can be your best self, feel a sense of purpose & experience joy.

If you don’t take time to care for yourself, to fill your energy tank, you start to identify with your stress & justify negative behaviors. Ignoring the impacts of stress & anxiety is selfish, because it causes you to act out in ways that are disconnected, explosive & reactive.

Self-care allows you to be open & share with others, while selfishness leads to isolation & loneliness.

Self-care is not selfish because it doesn’t take away from others, it actually adds to your experience of others & other’s experience of you.

Here are some examples:

Self-care is making adequate rest part of your routine.

Selfishness is overworking yourself, then snapping at your children.

Self-care is getting to work 5 minutes early & taking some deep breaths to ground your energy before heading in.

Selfishness is barrelling in flustered or frustrated & making everyone else anxious.

Self-care is taking a moment to pause & separate yourself from the drama of the day, before you come home.

Selfishness is bringing your work stress home & vomiting your complaints all over your partner.

Self-care is saying no to a gathering because you need some quiet time.

Selfishness is showing up & blasting your bad mood over the whole party.

3 Ways Self-Care Makes you a Better Human & will Improve Your Life

The world needs more care, and that care begins with self.

Here are 3 ways taking care of yourself makes you a better human:

Self-care increases energy. Practicing regular self-care empowers you to recharge whenever you need to so you can have more energy to share with others.Self-care improves communication skills. When you practice self care, you strengthen your ability to respond instead of react. Being able to communicate how you feel & what you need will help you in all your relationships.Self-care decreases stress. It equips you to become better at managing stress, so you can minimize frustration & anger, while increasing happiness & energy.

How to apply self-care routines

Finding self-care routines that work for you is essential. Here are a few tips to get you started:

• Own your “no.” It is okay to turn things down. Stick with tasks that are meaningful to you. You can’t do everything for everyone – and that’s okay.
• Move your body. Finding movement that feels good helps release nervous energy. It can be stretching, walking, dancing, rollerblading or anything else that gets your blood pumping. It will boost your energy & recharge your systems. Here is a quick 13-minute Energizing Morning Movement Routine you can do next to your bed.
• Embrace YOU time. This might look like taking a few deep breaths or journaling. Maybe you get your creative juices flowing with a new hobby. Either way, make it a point to schedule YOU into your calendar.
• Practice gratitude. Taking a moment to appreciate what you have will work wonders on your mood & energy levels. This could look like: making a list of things you’re grateful for, praying before you eat a meal or looking at yourself in the mirror & telling yourself how awesome you are.