Self-care September
Self-care.....we've talked about this before and the ways you can introduce self-care into your day to day life (after all, you deserve it). But, what you may not know is, there are actually DIFFERENT types of self-care you can use to navigate your way through some of the stresses of modern-day life.
Taking Care of Yourself
Exercise and eating well are the two foundation of physical self-care. Practicing healthy habits, such as eating well, exercising benefits your physical, mental, and emotional health. But you know what, sometimes you just aren't up to it...and that's fine, that's life.
It's OK to not be be OK...just don't beat yourself up about it and try not to dwell on “how you thought your life SHOULD be” - it will do your head in. Life is hard and it can kinda suck at times, but acknowledge how you're feeling, reassess where you're going and if you don't like where your headed...change it (after all, you are the author in your own story...right?).
Self-care can also be about accepting responsibility in your life, things go wrong or didn't work out – those things don't define you, it's how you react and cope with those set backs. So, by all means, lick your wounds and pop some arnica cream on that bruised ego...but make sure you pick yourself up, dust yourself off and keep going!
Taking Care of Your Emotions
Throughout your day, try to make some time to do a check-up on how you’re feeling. Identifying any negative emotions and thoughts is the first step in gaining control over these emotions, and allows you to develop a healthy strategy in dealing with them. Ask yourself, what was the trigger and what steps can you take to prevent it from potentially happening again.
Taking Care of Your Spiritual Needs
No matter what spirituality or religion means to you, by taking a few minutes a day to either pray, meditate or to gather with others who share in your beliefs can do wonders for your mood.
Taking Care of Your Finances
Money....it can be either a source of comfort or stress. Try to get into the habit of performing a regular financial check-up – look over your budget (tweak if need be) and try to have enough in your savings account should any emergencies or financial hardships arise (better to be safe than sorry).
Sometimes keeping a spend diary can assist in keeping track of your finances so you can see any bad habits that have crept in and 'nip it in the bud' before things get out of control and you start to spiral.
Take Care of Your Work-space
Set up regular supervision meetings with your Manager or a peer support group – some sort of forum where you can openly and freely discuss any issues/barriers you may be experiencing (after all, that's what Managers are for). You don't have to go through things alone; a problem shared is a problem halved after all.
Break your day up, go for regular walks (even if if you just go outside to get some fresh air or a glass of water). Try playing some of your favourite tunes (being mindful of those around you of course) or perhaps aromatherapy can help boost your mood at work (there are loads of essential oils you can can either breathe in or take topically that will assist with any situations that pop up throughout the day).
Just as there are different types of stress, there are also different types of self-care. Most of all remember to make time to do more of what makes you feel alive in the chaos of life. Be kind to yourself, practice self-compassion and self-love, and and the joy in the life you are living. A recent Facebook post shared on our page very much resonated, you can read it here.