Making Self-Care a Habit
Hey there! Gather ‘round so we can talk about self-care. This is a term that is being used a lot in the world today, given all the stressors of the current issues our world is facing in 2020. The coronavirus pandemic, the focus on systemic racism and calls for change, and the current social/political climate is creating a powder keg of stress, anxiety, and fear about the future for so many people. Now, more than ever, the discussion of self-care is very important if we want to manage our stress and promote our resilience.
Stress is also a word that is so commonly used that we don’t always realize how serious it is. Without getting too into the weeds with this, stress is not just about the pile of issues and challenges on our plate on a regular basis. Stress actually affects your body. When we are under stress, we are releasing a hormone in our body called cortisol. With chronic stress, this- along with other aspects of our body’s stress response- can result in changes in our health and wellness. Inflammation in the body can lead to higher risk for preventible illnesses like heart disease. We may also adopt poor coping strategies like smoking or drinking too much alcohol to relax our bodies. Sleep, concentration, and mood are also impacted by stress. Sometimes, these behaviors and responses to stress are happening outside of our awareness. We are just trying to cope and relieve ourselves of this feeling of being constantly overwhelmed.
This is where self-care comes in.
Self-care is not just about going to a spa for a day, getting a manicure, or spending a lot of money on things you don’t really need. Although these things can be a part of your self-care plan, they can be time consuming and expensive over time. The truth is that self-care practices can be a lot simpler (and cheaper!) than these ideas.
Self-care activities are the things you do as part of your daily practice to help you to be more in-the-moment and not in a state of upset and overwhelm. Here are some examples of low or no-cost self-care ideas:
Engaging in deep breathing exercises
Practicing grounding strategies (noticing things around you to help your mind to stay present)
Stretch exercises
Going for brief walks
Reading inspiring quotes or scriptures
Practicing meditation via apps or books
Listening to a podcast
Listening to music
Cooking (it’s one of the few activities that engages all five senses AND you have no choice but to pay attention)
Binge-watch your favorite show
Turning off the news
Turning off social media notifications
Play a fun game on your phone
Create a morning or evening routine
Do crafting/artistic activities
Get and use a coloring book
Commit to drinking a certain amount of water everyday
Exercise or just move in some way
Journal a few minutes each day
These activities don’t cost much, if anything at all. But if that’s the case, why does developing a self-care routine feel so challenging? We often think we do not have enough time and life gets in the way of making self-care habits like these a part of our routine. I have been guilty of thinking this way. But like any other habit, it starts with your decision and doing it once, then again, and again. It’s about doing this with intention. Start with 10 minutes of your day to devote to self-care. Schedule it in your phone or set a reminder to go off to remind you to do it.
And to be clear, practicing self-care does not mean that you won’t still experience distress when there is yet another issue or crisis. It won’t protect you from having a natural reaction to something that bothers you. But if self-care is a part of your daily practice, it will help you to manage those stressors better when they occur and for you to be more present so you can cope more effectively. And if you find that trying on your own just isn’t working out, then consider talking to a licensed professional to talk through ideas.
So as we approach the end of September 2020, maybe you can plan to incorporate some version of daily self-care into your routine at the start of October. And if you are feeling really brave, tell someone else about it so they can help to hold you accountable and support your new, healthy plan. Taking care of yourself is critical if you want to care for anyone else. You can’t pour from an empty cup, so it’s time to pour some time and energy into your wellness plan.
So what is your self-care plan for next month? Please share in the comments. Make a self-care plan for yourself that you can stick to and let’s continue to support each other as we get and stay well…together.
