Self Care 101
We’re often so busy organising all the necessary life admin tasks that we forget to take care of our personal needs.
Self-care is the most critical part of managing stress and anxiety. And research shows chronic stress can lead to chronic illness and other health issues.
Allowing time for yourself is hard when your to-do list is never-ending.
But when you do, you'll feel more resilient and be able to manage stress. Feeling your best physically and emotionally makes you feel stronger and more confident.
“Self care means giving yourself permission to pause.” – Cecilia Tran
Pampering yourself, even just for a few minutes, can revitalise you inside and out. And you’ll be feeling the benefits for quite a while afterwards.
Self-pampering is vital for your well-being, as is a healthy diet and regular exercise. The relaxation you experience can help prevent chronic stress from damaging your health. Caring for your mind and body helps you feel good about yourself and your life. This will show others that you value yourself.
Neglecting your own needs may trigger feelings of unhappiness, low self-esteem, and resentment. It also puts you at risk of getting 'giving burnout, which makes it more challenging to care for others.
Getting enough sleep, eating healthy meals, scheduling leisure time and being with friends is essential. But taking time to pamper yourself is as important, if not more!
When relaxing by yourself, it’s much easier to slip into a state of quiet meditation. You can enjoy some self-reflection and let your problems work out in the back of your mind.
Block out some time (it doesn’t have to be long - work with what you have!) and plan how you will pamper yourself. You can DIY or allow yourself to be spoiled if your budget allows.
Some DIY ideas are:
Take a Bath: Get out the bubbles, oils, and scented soaps, and soak until you’re wrinkled.
Deep-Condition Your Hair: Add a deep-conditioning treatment for your hair.
Hydrate Your Skin: Lightly exfoliate your face and follow with a hydrating face mask.
Care For Your Feet: Soak your feet to soften calloused skin, buff them with a pumice stone and massage with a soothing foot cream.
Nourish Your Skin: Dry brush your body and follow with a luxurious hydrating lotion.
Tend to Your Nails: File and buff your nails and add a coat of polish.
Give Yourself a Massage: See my favourite self-massage technique here.
Try a stretch yoga class - I've put together a playlist of my favourites here.
Go for a walk in nature.
What’s your favourite way to pamper yourself?