September is Self-Care month. We are breaking down what self-care can look like and why you need it in your life!
Self-care can be different to each of us. Defined as "the practice of taking action to preserve or improve one's own health." Our health can be broken down into many sectors but the 3 categories that resonated with me the most were the physical, mental and social.
Why do we need self-care? It allows you to discover who you truly are, improves your mental stability and fills your cup! I always reference back to the quote "You can't pour from an empty cup" when I talk about self-care because you really cannot care for others at your full potential unless you care for your needs as well.
Physical Self-care.
Our physical being is our temple. It is our vehicle in this physical world, so fueling it with healthy foods, working out/strengthening it with exercise and recharging it with sleep and relaxation are main component in physical selfcare. This can look like a morning yoga session, a technology free 9pm bedtime or a whole foods meal plan. I also try to take time out of my schedule to go get a massage, a pedicure, a facial or any physical appointment.
TREAT YO' SELF!
Mental Self-care
Taking care of our mind is a tricky one in the demanding world we live in, climbing career ladders, chasing money and freedom but mental health forces you to concentrate back on your primary needs. Practicing mindfulness and balance. This can look like you listening to music or a podcast, escaping into a book, or journaling things you are grateful for.
Speaking of reading... IF you haven't seen the ACOTAR books taking over Tiktok and you need a new sexy, fantasy read, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
Social Self-care
Human beings are social by nature. Even me, the homebody, introvert I am, needs to have human connection. Feeling isolated is easy these days while we are living amidst a pandemic, possibly working from home and social distancing. Some social self-care actions you can do is set up time with friends to talk on the phone or do a video chat, meet up to do a hobby or learn a skill together and don't forget about your social relationships with your pets! A lot of people forget this one but pets can be a huge factor in our social self-care. I don't know about you but I talk to my cats, Atreyu and Midnight, 24/7 while we hang out at home.
I broke down self-care into three categories but as I was doing my research there are up to 8 subcategories! So, dive in as deep as you want. Learn to love yourself, grow in this human experience and form connections with others<3