The Importance of Self Care

If you have ever flown on a plane, you have probably had to sit through their safety presentation.  If you were paying attention, you may remember the part where they talk about the oxygen masks.  Every time, they say that if you are traveling with a child, first secure your own mask, then assist the child.  This may seem counterintuitive to may people, as we are used to putting our children first.  Most of us wear many hats.  We are partners, mothers, daughters, professionals, and much more.  Many of those roles put us in the position of care-giver.  For a good number of us, we are so used to putting others first, that we forget to think about ourselves.  Not only is this a disservice to ourselves, but it is also a disservice to those we care for.

This post focuses on why self-care is so important.  The reason we are instructed to put our own oxygen mask on first and then assist our children is that we cannot be the best care-providers for others unless we are taking care of ourselves.  Once you get your own oxygen mask on, you will be better able to assist others.  So it is in life.  Once you begin to take care of yourself, you may notice that it becomes easier to take care of others.

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When we don't practice good self-care, we tend to be stressed out, sore, and both physically and emotionally exhausted.  This can affect our interactions with others.  When we are not feeling well, we become irritable and distracted.  This can lead to angry words and actions that you don't mean and a lot of hurt feelings.  Stress can also manifest physically, creating dis-ease.  Many physical conditions that people receive medical treatment for such as high blood pressure, headaches, gastrointestinal trouble, muscle strain and weakness, and many more can be traced back to stress, meaning that self-care can not only make you happier, it will also make you healthier.

Once you begin your self-care regimen, you may notice that you have more energy, experience less pain, have more patience, have more time, and have a more positive outlook.  

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How to do Self-Care
It is easy to tell yourself and others that you will start to take care of yourself, but it can be a little bit hard getting started.  Those of us who are not used to making time for ourselves may find the task daunting so here are a few basic guidelines for starting a self-care routine

1. Make realistic goals.  When you are starting any new routine, it is best to start in chunks.  If you have been eating poorly, saying "I will only eat healthy from now on" isn't going to last.  Instead, try making a point of scheduling 1 healthy meal each week.  Decide what it will be and make sure you have plenty of time to prepare it.  So it should be with any new routine.  Start out small, with things that you know you can handle.  If you make unrealistic goals, you are dooming yourself to failure before you even begin.
2. Allow yourself time to adapt.  Now you have decided to make 1 healthy meal a week.  Work on that until it becomes routine, then add in a second healthy meal, or a yoga class.  If you try to make too much change too quickly, you aren't likely to succeed.  Instead choose something small and allow yourself time to adapt before adding more.  This is one of the most effective ways to create new routines.
3. Make self-care your priority.  If you put self-care in your schedule and then it is the first thing that you sacrifice when you are trying to make more time, you aren't taking care of yourself.  Choose 1 hour of every week to dedicate to self-care and you will begin to notice a difference.  Begin sacrificing that hour for other things, and you will be right back where you started.

You may notice that I mentioned scheduling a lot.  That is because the easiest way to begin taking care of yourself is to put it on your calendar.  That being said, there are myriad things that you can put  into that slot on your calendar.  Try booking out 1 hour a week for your self-care.  Fill it with the same thing, or a different thing every week.  As long as you are committing to yourself for an hour, you have taken a good step toward caring for yourself.  Do things that are good for you, but also just take time to do something that you enjoy.

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​Looking for some ideas?  Try these:

1. Get a massage to relax your body and mind
2. Try acupuncture
3. Make a healthy meal
4. Drink plenty of water throughout the day
5. Try an exercise class (yoga, pilates, aerobics, Zumba, dance... the options are endless)
6. Meditate
7. Stretch before you get out of bed in the morning (I like to lie for about 10 minutes in an open position)
8. Take a walk (much healthier than taking a run by the way...)
9. Start walking or biking to work if you can
10. Read a book
11. Get together with friends
12. Go to a park or museum
13. See a concert
14. Do a puzzle
15. Cuddle or play with a pet
16. Color
17. Take a relaxing bath
18. Take a nap
19. Get some sun
20. Write in a journal

What is your favorite way to practice self-care?  Leave your suggestions in the comments!

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