We hear and see the term ‘self-care’ more and more these days and in a world where things can seem uncertain and rather gloomy, particularly if you read the news , self-care has never been more needed. Its timely presence is justified. The pandemic gave the fortunate ones more time to focus on themselves and self-care but for others it brought feelings of disconnection, stress and anxiety and this hasn’t gone away.
Whilst some will disregard the concept of self-care because it conjures up images of spa days and fluffy dressing gowns, the focus to bring good daily habits to improve wellbeing has never been more important. When you focus on self-improvement, encompassing physical, mental and emotional health, you become better equipped and able to pursue your goals and enrich the lives of the people around you.
So what actually is self-care, what are the tips to improve wellbeing and how is self-care the secret to success?
Firstly, What Is Self-Care?
Self-care will mean different things to different people. The Oxford dictionary describes self-care as ‘the act of caring for yourself, for example by eating and sleeping well, taking exercise and getting help so that you do not become ill’.
For me and many others, it is so much more. I would describe self-care as doing things for yourself to better your overall wellbeing; including physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. Self-care has a feel-good factor – you are doing something positive for yourself and you are showing yourself, self-respect and love.
Something in common with my clients is their lack of self-worth. They give everything to everyone else, their families/friends/careers and this leaves little time for themselves; they place their needs at the bottom of the pile and overlook their needs for kindness and love too.
Self-care is about putting yourself first; giving you the time to connect with your true self and being the best version of you. There are many ways in which you can do this and we’ll come to these shortly.
Why Is Self-Care Important?
Firstly, you can’t be your best for others if you’re not taking care of yourself. Women are natural caregivers and are generally the engine of the family. They keep everything together and running efficiently – without the engine, there is the potential for everything to fall apart. You have to take care of yourself and recharge, only you can do this.
Take a step back for a moment and look at your life. How do you prioritise yourself and your needs, if at all? What do you do for yourself or do you not because you feel guilty? Please don’t think of self-care as being selfish, it couldn’t be further from the truth.
Self-care is important as it helps individuals to maintain physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being. This is crucial for being the best version of you and leading a happy and fulfilled life. There is only one shot at life, why not make it the best you can? Self-care, including good daily habits will help to improve your wellbeing, reducing stress and improving overall health which will have a positive impact on relationships, work and so on. As you begin your self-care journey, notice how your mood lifts, your confidence grows and how you begin to feel more in control of your life.
Self-care is particularly helpful in preventing burnout and stress-related illnesses as well as increasing your ability to cope with difficult situations and problems. As busy as you are, there is always time you can make for yourself, even if it means getting up 30 minutes earlier.
Self-Care Tips
There are so many self-care tips, some will work for you, others won’t. This list is not exhaustive by any means but it is what I practice – see what resonates with you and see which good daily habits you would like to implement into your life. There was a time when I barely did any of these and I was on the road to burnout, I might well have even been there. If you’re not used to taking care of yourself in this way, it might feel a little odd to begin with, persevere, I promise that you will reap the benefits.
1. Create ‘Non-Negotiable Me Time’
Allocate some daily or weekly time in your diary for ‘non-negotiable me time’. Make it achievable and stick to it, even if it’s just sitting quietly in a room or the garden, with no distraction (including anything digital). The only rule here is that this time is non-negotiable, do what you like as long as it’s for you.
2. Get Active
Exercise has a positive impact on physical, mental and emotional health. We know it strengthens our bones and improves heart health but exercise also triggers the release of endorphins which act on opiate receptors creating that blissful high. Stress, anxiety and feelings of depression can all be lowered through regular exercise (betterhelp.com)
3. Eat Wisely
Eat nutritious foods, as close to their natural state as possible, plenty of fruit and vegetables. Avoid processed and fast foods, anything deep-fried, cakes, high in carbs and sugars etc. They’ll do nothing for your waistline or your mood. A healthy diet will nourish your brain helping you focus and achieve
4. Avoid Alcohol
An obvious one but drinking alcohol affects physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. You only need to stop drinking for a week or two to see the benefits. You’ll sleep better, lose weight, think clearly, be more productive etc.
5. Get Enough Sleep
The better sleep you have the more switched on, happy and productive you’ll be the next day. Never underestimate the power of a good night’s sleep.
6. Meditate
Not for everyone I know and often difficult to get into but once you find a meditation style that works for you, you’ll reap the benefits (for me it always has to be guided). A calmer mind, less head chatter, a sense of peace and tranquility, better relationships and more productivity
7. Grow Your Mindset
Focus on the positives, identify limited beliefs and turn them around. Learn which thoughts serve you and ones which don’t. Reframe your thoughts so that they encourage and motivate you, instead of telling yourself you’re not good enough and aren’t worthy of love. Results don’t happen overnight, it’s a process which requires practice and dedication but, it’s probably the most important of all as your mind affects everything.
8. Practice Gratitude
Each morning take a moment to think about 3 things which you are grateful for in that moment. Write them down if you can. This will start your day with positive emotions
9. Have Fun
Having fun reduces stress, increases resilience and lifts your mood. Try and remember a time in which you felt pure joy or laughed uncontrollably. What were you doing and who were you with? How can you recreate this feeling?
10. Set Boundaries
It can often be hard to say no but the more you give, the more people will take and you’ll be running on empty in no time. If your diary is beginning to look busy, block some evenings and learn to say ‘no’. Try and say yes only to the things which you really want to do.
10. Take Care Of Your Skin
Your face is the first thing you see when you look in the mirror. If you like what you see great, but more often than not, the first thing you’ll be telling yourself is that you look old and tired. You’ll be pulling up your skin towards your ears and noticing every single little blemish. Not a great start to the day by any means!
I know how important it is to look in the mirror and like what you see. This is why, as part of the AMM, I combine coaching with aesthetics by adding a rejuvenation treatment at the end. This immediately increases your self-confidence, self-love and self-worth and gets you on the road with your self-care journey.
Why Is Self-Care the Secret To Success?
Self-care is the ‘secret’ to success because it is essential for maintaining the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing that is required to achieve your goals. When you take care of yourself, you’ll be able to focus better, increase productivity, have healthier relationships and make the right decisions.
Self-care can also help to prevent burnout; a common problem amongst the highly motivated who tend to push themselves far too hard. This leads to lack of productivity, motivation and creativity; all having a negative effect on all aspects of one’s health.
So, which tips to improve wellbeing can you do to bring some self-care into your life? It doesn’t need to be an expensive weekend to a retreat or spa, a simple 20-minute bath, good skincare or daily gratitude list will start you off on the right foot.
If you feel like you need help getting into a great self–care routine, signup below for a FREE discovery call, and we can discuss how coaching can help you achieve success through a little self-love…
