The Health Resolutions Project: Self-Care
So far in our Healthy Resolutions Project, we’ve talked about healthy diets, healthy body care products, and physical fitness. For this post, we’re focusing on self-care, and steps we can take to prepare our mind, body and spirit so that we are more resilient and can better handle the stresses we encounter on a daily basis.
If you’re still wondering why self-care is important, here are some more reasons:
- It affects your physical health. Getting regular self-care can keep you more relaxed, which can prevent chronic stress from damaging your health.
- If affects your emotional health. Having a well-cared body can make you feel good about yourself and your life, leading to feelings of well-being.
- It makes you a better caregiver. If you neglect your own needs to care for others for prolonged periods of time, you can become susceptible to deep levels of unhappiness, feelings of resentment, and getting burned out.
So how exactly do you prepare your mind, body and spirit? Below are examples of SMART (which if you haven’t read my previous posts yet, stand for Specific, Measurable, Action-oriented, Reliable and Time-based) goals. These are just some examples and there are countless others. If you have more ideas, please share them with us in the comments section below.
-
SMART self-care goals for the mind:
- For the next two weeks, start and continue a daily gratitude journal where you write down things that you’re grateful for.
- For the next two weeks, set aside one hour of time where all your devices are set on airplane mode so that you’re unplugged from email and social media.
- For the next two weeks, include mini-meditation sessions throughout your day, where you have one minute of focused attention on your thoughts, feelings, and sensations; one minute of awareness on breathing; and one minute of awareness of the body as a whole.
-
SMART self-care goals for the body (aside from the goals we shared in our physical fitness post):
- If the weather permits, for the next month, get outside each day and get at least 15 minutes of sunshine. A balanced amount of sunshine will help your body absorb nutrients.
- For the next two weeks, focus your attention on staying hydrated with pure water (avoid plastic water bottles).
- For the next three months, schedule a monthly massage for yourself.
- For next two weeks, nourish you skin on a daily basis with a natural and luxurious body moisturizer such as our Luxurious Whipped Body Butter. The sensation of applying a moisturizer can be very soothing.
-
SMART self-care goals for the soul:
- For the next month, at least once a week set aside time to take a home spa. Have a long bath or shower, sit around in your bathrobe, and read magazines.
- For the next month, focus on asking for help – so many of us are afraid to ask for your help and we end up taking on too much and we get burnt out. Ask for help, be it big or small, and you’ll be surprised how willing your family and friends (or even strangers) are to lend a hand.
- For the next two weeks, spend 15 minutes each day and write out your thoughts on anything that is bothering you. Then let it go as you crumple or rip up the paper (and then recycle it of course).
Check out our other posts from our Healthy Resolutions Project: