There is one little piece of the world that you are completely obligated to take care of – you.
Think about a time when you were your worst self—nasty, argumentative, or rude. Why did you act that way? Were you practicing good self care at the time? I bet you probably weren’t.
Now, remember a time that you were your best self—generous, forgiving, and genuinely caring. How were you feeling at the time? Usually, people say that they are able to treat others well when they them- selves are feeling well. When you are taking good care of yourself, you’re also making yourself available to take good care of the world around you.
Self-care is more of an attitude than any particular set of behaviors. It’s about prioritizing your needs and making a point to be thoughtful about treating yourself well.
Below is a list of self-care statements having to do with the major domains of life; it may be helpful to consider whether your well-being could be improved in any of the following ways.
Physical Self Care:
- Keeping your body clean
- Wearing clean and comfortable clothes that fit
- Eating when hungry
- Stopping eating when full
- Drinking as much water as needed
- Going to the bathroom as needed
- Sleeping enough
- Getting enjoyable exercise
- Spending time outside
- Brushing teeth and flossing regularly
- Getting medical and dental check-ups
- Attending to illness and injury
Relational Self Care:
- Maintaining a network of people to have fun with
- Maintaining a network of people to rely on emotionally
- Balancing spending time with others and alone
- Establishing healthy boundaries – and sticking to them
- Being honest with others who are important to you
- Communicating your needs and wants clearly in relationships
- Saying no when needed
- Spending time with people you like
- Keeping in touch with people whose relationships you value.
Emotional Self Care:
- Taking time to pay attention to feelings
- Treating your feelings like they are important
- Regularly talking to a friend, family member and/or therapist about feelings
- Having healthy and constructive outlets for anger and stress
- Comforting yourself when sad
- Allowing yourself to cry when sad
- Generally being aware of mood states
- Talking to yourself in a loving and compassionate manner
- Spending time doing things you enjoy
- Considering yourself to be responsible for your own happiness
Domestic Self Care:
- Keeping your environment clean
- Keeping your environment comfortable
- Fixing broken things relatively quickly
- Paying bills shortly after they arrive
- Ensuring that there is adequate lighting to see well
- Maintaining a comfortable temperature in the home
Self-care is an ongoing commitment to yourself.
Re-evaluate your self-care behaviors periodically and, when you find yourself in need of a tweak, take the time to give yourself one. You deserve it, and the world deserves a you that is in optimal condition.
Therapy can be an invaluable resource in supporting your self-care journey. A therapist can help you identify areas where you might be neglecting your needs, offer tools and strategies to improve your self-care routines, and provide a safe space to explore any underlying issues that may be getting in the way. Through therapy, you can gain insight into your behaviors and emotions, work through challenges, and build a more compassionate and balanced relationship with yourself. Remember, taking care of yourself is not just a one-time effort but a continuous practice, and therapy can be a key part of sustaining that commitment.
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