SELF-CARE

“Self-Care”       noun

- The practice of taking action to preserve or improve one’s own health.

- The practice of taking an active role in protecting one’s own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress.

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The words self-care and lifestyle can be used interchangeably.  They both mean doing the things we need to do to maintain our happiness and our health.  This includes activities and daily practices we engage in on a regular basis to reduce stress and enhance our health and well-being.  Creating daily routine is an integral part of our overall wellness.  With time, daily practices become part of who we are.  The little things we do for our bodies every day add up over time.  It’s what we do every day, every week, month in and month out.  Self-care is considered a discipline.  It takes discipline to make healthy choices.  The only thing we have complete control over in our lives is what we do for our bodies and what we put into our bodies.  It’s taking care of ourselves in a way that doesn’t require us to “indulge” in order to restore balance.  Self-care allows us to develop a deep and personal understanding of our priorities, and a respect for ourselves and the people we choose to spend our lives with. Self-Care is: 

 

Creating daily routine  |  Prioritizing sleep/wake cycles  |  Getting your heart rate up daily  |  Deep breathing, meditation, prayer and relaxation  |  Ending your shower on cold  |  Meal timing  |  Staying hydrated  |  Food as medicine  |  Saying “no”  |  Asking for “help”  |  Setting boundaries  |  Making healthy nutrition choices   |  Doing work that matters to you  |  Avoiding use or misuse of drugs and alcohol  |  Limiting social media and the news  |  Staying in contact with loved ones  |  Prioritizing yourself