What is self-care or the meaning of taking care of myself?

 

Practically it includes all the actions someone takes to protect and/or improve his/her physical, emotional, and psychological health. Selfcare is vital for somebody to be able to build a shield around him and be ready to defend various stresses, which are part of life. Unfortunately, we mostly forget to take care of ourselves, while we consider it as luxury or/and there are other things most important first. This may happen because we cannot fully understand that to be able to respond to job, to personal relationships and duties is important, firstly, to feel good.

Selfcare: is finally the commitment to yourself to choose to do things and situations that make you feel healthy and good with yourself at first. Besides what is and why is important for someone to take care of him/herself is important, each one of us, to take a minute to make a pause and think why I want to take care of myself, to find the reason, the motivation that will lead the why in action.

The “real” selfcare includes a series of healthy choices in 5 areas of life which display that you pay the necessary attention to your mind, body and spirit.

Let’s see who they are and what we can do more to take care of ourselves.

Physical selfcare: includes how you supply your body, i.e., what you eat, how many hours you sleep, how much exercise you do, how well you take care of your physical needs. Even taking properly the prescribed medication, but also covering adequately the above parts is a sign of self-care, essentially a sign of good physical health. The mind and body are directly connected, so when you take care of your body you will be able to think, feel and act better.

Social selfcare: Socialization is a key factor in self-care, human beings are made by nature to coexist with other people. However, when your daily life is busy, it is difficult to find time for your friends and easy to neglect these relationships. But intimate relationships are important for your well-being. The best way to cultivate and maintain intimate relationships is to devote time and energy to building your relationships with others.

There is no specific number of how many hours to spend with your friends or how much to deal with in your personal relationships. Everyone has slightly different social needs. The key is to understand which your social needs are and to create enough time in your schedule to create a satisfying social life. Take your time and think: Do you spend a lot of personal time with your friends? What do you do to take care of your relationship with your friends and family?

Mental selfcare: includes things that keep your mind sharp, such as puzzles, or learning about a subject that fascinates you or a foreign language. You can read books or watch movies that inspire and feed your mind. Mental selfcare also includes doing things that help you stay mentally healthy. Practicing self-compassion and self-acceptance or, for example, meditation, helps you maintain a healthier inner dialogue.

Spiritual selfcare: is just as important and be carried out through the cultivation of spirit, while there is no need to include only religion. It could be anything that will help you develop a deeper sense of meaning, understanding or connection to the universe. Whether you enjoy meditation, or attending religious services, or praying, spiritual selfcare is important.

Emotional-Psychological selfcare: Do not forget the most important thing, to recognize and understand your feelings. Give yourself time to think and understand your feelings. It also includes controlling your stress levels. Just ask yourself how it feels. Many times, you can get lost in everyday life and stop recognizing what you really feel. Think about it, would you ever leave the stove open and leave in danger of catching fire? So why leave your emotions unattended while you could regulate them? So, it may be necessary, at the end of the day, to show compassion, understanding, embrace your feelings and say goodbye to what you have achieved.

Selfcare is the barometer of our overall well-being. If you find it difficult to take care of yourself either physically, financially, or emotionally, it is often a sign of psychological imbalance. So, you need to pay attention to these signs and take action or ask for help from a mental health professional who can support you in this endeavor.