Self-care is the practice of taking time to care for yourself. We spend a lot of time taking care of others, ensuring others’ needs, but we rarely take care of ourselves. Everyone needs a self-care plan of their own.
Practice self-care daily by doing something 15 minutes a day to help you relax and unwind. It could be something as simple as sitting in your car quietly listening to soothing music before entering your home if you had a rough day. Put on a couple of your favorite CDs and listen to something inspirational that will inspire you before you enter the door. We don’t want to come home to
our families all stressed out, so take 15 minutes before opening the door of your home to unwind.
Everyone is different, and each person has their way of unwinding. Maybe some like to take a bath or go shopping, but whatever it is that you wish, do that so you can mentally prepare for the next day. We want to ensure that you’re not in a constant state of being stressed out because stress is harmful to your body.
Take time to relax and let negative emotions go. It is a good practice to listen to something inspirational or motivational for at least 15 minutes a day to help combat negative emotions. People suffer from being depressed because they are continually focusing on negative things. Some people never have anything positive to say or think. Listening to something positive, at least 15 minutes to 20 minutes a day, can change your mindset.
Watching something positive or even reading an inspiring book can make a difference also. If you want to transform your mind and relieve some stress, a change has to occur in what you do.
Eating healthy and exercising are also good ways to take care of yourself. In addition to a daily self-care routine, do something once a week that lasts longer than 15 minutes. Go to the movies if it helps to relax. Everyone relaxes in different ways, so figure out what enables you to relax and practice doing it weekly.
Never feel obligated to say yes to everything. No is a legitimate answer. If you have several things to do in one day, pick the most important one and do that. Don’t overextend yourself. You can’t be everything to everybody, so stop trying.
Make sure you’re taking care of yourself. If that means you take a day off to do absolutely nothing because you are stressed, it is okay. Don’t let anyone make you feel guilty because you’re taking a day to care for yourself. Care for yourself while you can. You don’t want to be in a position where others have to care for you because stress took a toll on your body. Practice self-care daily so you can live a happy, healthier life.
