As this week is national self-care awareness week, now might be a good time to ask yourself the question... How do I care for myself?
Self-care in its simplest terms is our ability to care for our own well-being. In the media, the term is often presented with an emphasis on the outer self and the health of the body -- including exercise, diet and grooming.
While this is true to a certain extent, a more holistic definition of self-care is one that encompasses both mind and body.
Self-care is as much nourishing and nurturing the relationship we have with our mind as the one we have with our body.
The Power of Practice
The power of this practice is not to be underestimated – when we take actions to protect, maintain and improve our mental, emotional and physical well-being, we can expect to see a reduction in the negative effects of stress, a boost to our mood and improved resilience.
Mindfulness is so crucial to the act of self-care. With the awareness that the practice gives us, we gain greater clarity of the relationship we have with ourselves.
When we weave mindfulness into our day, we are practising self-care.
Explore our Self-Compasssion Half-Day Workshop.
We notice habits and addictions that don’t serve our well-being, or unkind judgemental thoughts about ourselves that have a negative impact on our actions and experiences.
Often, this new awareness can precipitate a shift in mindset, and a desire to start treating ourselves with more care.
It’s worth noting that mindfulness is especially important in the context of self-care because it allows us to ensure that we use it for the right reasons.
Without a mindful attitude, we may use self-care as a form of distraction to avoid our feelings and edge around the reality of our experience.
Developing Self-Compassion
At the heart of self-care is self-compassion -- an understanding, acceptance and kindness towards the self, and we can use this as a sign-post for developing a daily self-care habit.
Building self-care into our lives needn’t be overwhelming -- it’s as simple as making time for a few small acts of care and kindness towards ourselves each day, whether that’s yoga, meditation, getting more sleep or cooking a tasty meal.
Over time, this will build long-term feelings of well-being and resilience -- and self-care will no longer be something that we come to when we need it, but something that we have already embedded within our lives.
Self-care goes a long way in helping us to better cope with everyday stresses, and far from being narcissistic or selfish, it is in fact the key to a fuller life -- because the more we look after ourselves, the more we have to give to our family and friends, helping us to mindfully connect with others. More time to the life that we lead.
Explore the Mindful Self-Compassion Course and make self-care a priority.
