Tag: Emotions Control

Self-care is an important topic but the deeper meaning of “self-care” is often overshadowed by the fact that people don’t focus on its true meaning.

Self-care is about putting your own mental, emotional, spiritual and physical health first: it’s essential to your overall well-being. But it’s not just about listening to soothing music, taking a break or having a bubble bath. These may be enough for some, but you may need different activities or a support person to help you along the way, and that’s okay. Taking care of yourself involves doing things that help you feel good, getting in touch (or reconnecting!) with your inner self, getting involved with people or causes that are important to you, asking for support, etc.

By taking care of yourself, you can face challenges with more confidence, build resilience, improve your self-esteem and work on your self-acceptance. It is also a way to slow down, listen to yourself and create a space to rest and recuperate when you are going through more difficult times.

Sometimes it feels like we spend the whole day running from emergency to emergency with no time to breathe. No wonder our own needs take a back seat. Even though our obligations are obviously important, we rarely put our well-being at the centre of our priorities. And yet, taking care of ourselves is a necessity.

As a result, our condition deteriorates over time: we find it harder to concentrate, sleep, or have as much energy as before. We slow down, because we try to keep going without pausing to recharge, like a car running out of gas.

The very mention of recharging can lead to exasperated looks, and for many, focusing on ourselves is synonymous with selfishness or laziness. This view couldn’t be more wrong and unfair: the best way to keep up is to make sure you also take care of yourself.

What can you do?

For your body

We constantly push our bodies to the limit: we eat a little too much, work until we collapse, and don’t rest enough to really recharge. One of the best things you can do is to put your health first, which you can do with these tips.

• Say goodbye to junk food. Even with just one small change a month, working towards a healthier diet can help you feel healthier. Think about the improvements you can make, and make a plan to make gradual but meaningful changes.
• Move more. You don’t have to plan a marathon to be active: take a morning walk around your neighbourhood, or cook your dinner while dancing to a retro song. Just get your heart rate up a few minutes a day!
• Sleep better. It’s a vicious circle: you go to bed late so you can do a few last-minute things, and in the morning you turn off your alarm clock 17 times. It’s better to go to bed at a decent hour and not touch the electronics for half an hour before bedtime. If you stick with it, you will probably feel a real difference after a few days.
• Have a check-up. Everyone has their own reasons for not going to the doctor regularly: lack of time, distance, problems with medical coverage… but it’s important to be followed up, especially if something is bothering you: your health should be your number one priority.
• Stretch. Whether you’re stiff from stress or bent over your desk all day, your muscles can accumulate a lot of tension. Nothing beats stretching every night before bed. If possible, attend regular yoga classes.

For your mind

We face challenges every day that require us to have a mind of steel: whether it’s important decisions to make, worries about the future, or having to be patient with a child asking the same question for the thousandth time, our brains are usually working overtime, so we need to find a way to lighten the load.

• Meditate. You don’t have to be a Zen master to do a little meditation. Several times a day, slow down your breathing and put your problems aside for a while.
• Enrich your education. If you’re thinking of going back to school, do so without delay: make a plan and put it into action. If not planned, you can still enrich your mind by reading good books, articles, or watching thought-provoking films.
• Don’t leave tasks unfinished. Are there things that you have to do for months? Then write everything down and dedicate a whole day to it. Also choose a future date by which to finish anything you couldn’t do this time.
• Log off before going to sleep. Whether you’re surfing the net, watching Netflix, or arguing on the networks, using screens before bed keeps your brain awake. An hour before you go to bed, turn down the lights in the room and get ready for a good night’s sleep.
• Tidy up. Living in a perpetual mess can be stressful. If you find yourself looking for things that aren’t tidy or getting caught up in things you haven’t touched in months, it’s time to clean up. Get rid of what you don’t need and put the rest away.

For your self-confidence

Some things can scratch your self-esteem, and chances are that personal examples will come to mind just from reading this. Finding ways to maintain your self-confidence will help you cope without losing your footing.

• Dealing with negative people. Does someone in your life just put you down? If so, it may be time to cut them off. These people are like vampires who steal the joy from your day, and need to be kept at bay. If you can’t avoid them, set clear boundaries about their behaviour and enforce them.
• Quit that job you hate. Most people will never find their perfect job, but that doesn’t mean you have to take a job you hate. If the thought of going to work gives you a headache, it’s time to change: we all deserve to do something we love.
• Learn to say no. Everyone likes to feel useful, or provide a shoulder to cry on, but it’s all very tiring. It is important to learn to say no so that you respect your own limits and avoid overworking yourself. You may disappoint some people, but that’s not a good enough reason to burden yourself with more than you can handle.
• Treat yourself to a night out. Do you ever plan an evening filled with things that make you happy? Book a table at that restaurant that only you like, or watch that great movie that everyone hates. For a few hours, the only person who matters is you!
• Practice being grateful. Complaining is part of our culture: reverse the trend by learning to be grateful. Instead of rehashing the bad parts of the day, go to bed thinking about the good parts, even if the only good news is that you’re still breathing. Change your perspective!

Taking care of yourself means finding ways to soothe and strengthen your spirit: there’s nothing selfish or lazy about that. Life can be hard on us, and can tire us out mentally as well as physically, but if we think about recharging our batteries, we’ll be all the more invigorated and ready to face whatever the future holds.