The New Year is the perfect time to embrace self-care. Practicing self-care is an essential part of your recovery. It does not have to be over-the-top, but simple and intentional ways of tending to your mental, physical, and emotional health can help you to effectively cope with stressors that can lead to increased levels of anxiety and depression.
Why Do We Not Practice Self-Care?
We live in a world that is constantly on the go while balancing multiple responsibilities. The overwhelming weight we put on ourselves can leave us exhausted—and self-care requires energy that many of us lack.
Many of us often struggle with focusing on ourselves and putting ourselves first. Balancing home, work, family, and finances often means something gets left undone—which is usually ourselves. It’s important to remember that you have to be healthy before you can help others become healthy. Self-care is not selfish—it is essential.
How to Practice Self-Care?
Self-care does not have to be expensive or extravagant. The most important part is that you are focusing on yourself and respecting your mind and body. Consistent self-care is a key element to sustained recovery and helps you take the mental health break we all need. Below are a few ways to practice self-care.
Don’t ignore your feelings
Use your feelings as a tool to know when you need to focus on yourself. Regularly practicing self-care means learning to respect the relationship we have with our feelings and our body. By listening to our bodies, we can recognize when we need self-care and develop self-assessment skills. Ask yourself questions. What is my body telling me? Do I need time alone, or do I need to be with my friends? Do I need to rest, or do I need to exercise?
Take deep breaths
Did you know you can rejuvenate your mind and body by focusing on your breathing? Clear your mind, close your eyes, and take a deep breath, focusing your energy on yourself.
Move your body
It is important for your overall health to get your body moving. Take a short walk, go for a bike ride, or take a swim. Daily exercise naturally produces hormones in your body that reduce stress and improve your overall health.
Take a break from social media
We spend much time in the digital world, especially on social media. We have become a society that Instagrams our self-care, constantly obsessing over who is doing what to make themselves look and feel better. This obsession often leaves us full of negativity. Take a break from the virtual world and practice self-care that works for you and your body.
Embrace a sense of humor
This may seem simple, but so many of us put our sense of humor on the back burner. Laughter strengthens your immune system, increases your energy, and protects you from the effects of stress. Enjoy the moment and find your sense of humor.
Spend time with people who lift you up
A key element of self-care is choosing who to surround yourself with. Avoid people who make you feel uncomfortable and who invite negativity. Delight in those who embrace you and bring a positive element to your life.
Lend a helping hand
Did you know that helping others is part of self-care? Lending a hand to those in need creates a healthy distraction from negative thoughts and feelings. The emotional gratification helps reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.
What To Do When the Overwhelm Hits?
Sometimes anxiety or depression may impact your daily functioning, and professional help is needed. Reaching out for help is the first step in recovering and finding a socially fulfilling life.
At Pasadena Villa, we offer the treatment you need to get you on the right path. Using evidence-based therapeutic interventions combined with social integration, clients are introduced to relevant real-life strategies that help meet their goals and regain control of their lives. Clients engage in a variety of practices that help them to develop life skills, health, and nutrition skills, and social competencies that facilitate the progress from clinical care to towards independent self-care.
