In continuing with this February’s theme of love, this week we want to talk a little about Self Care. Life is often busy, stressful, and much of the time, we cab feel the approach of burn out. How can we combat that and live a fuller, healthier, and more content existence? Without taking care of ourselves, we cannot achieve what we want to in life.
Taking care of our bodies is paramount. A good start is to make sure we go to our regular doctors appointments, whether the OB/GYN, Internist, or Dermatologist and Dentist. Preventative care is so important as is regular health maintenance. Exercise is also key, and not for reasons of “losing weight” or “looking good”. Yes, those are valid reasons, but exercise helps our bodies work better, last longer, and those work out endorphins are natural antidepressants. A more indulgent way of honoring our bodies is through skin care. Whether it’s a soak in a tub with a favorite bath bomb or artisanal body butter, these little acts make ourselves feel a little more human and remind us of the miracle we are.
Let’s talk about mental health. There is NO shame in mental health maintenance and no shame in not feeling the best every day. It’s ok to not be ok. One way to start on the path of mental health is knowing your limits and learning to say “no”. As women, we feel the need to be perfect. To help everyone. To never say NO because that is selfish and uncaring. But, its not. If we don’t have limits, we will burn out and then can’t even help ourselves. A great tool to help ourselves is mindfulness and meditation. Mindfulness meditation has been shown to lower blood pressure, increase creativity and productivity, decrease anxiety, and be a stepping stone to mental health. Seeing a therapist for a mental health tune up is a great idea as well. There is no shame in needing help from others, and often having a unbiased viewpoint is just what the doctor ordered!
How about pampering yourself with things that are uniquely meaningful to you? For some of us it’s a meal at a favorite restaurant, or maybe taking a long afternoon cooking a meal that brings you complete happiness and reminds you of a special beautiful moment in your life. And then there is always a little retail therapy. That doesn’t mean you have to break the bank. It can be anything from a tube of lipstick or nail polish that you’ve wanted to try forever, or perhaps that pretty matching lingerie set you’ve been eyeing weeks. There are so many ways to care about yourself with little treats and each unique to us.
Ultimately, self care is about finding what works best for you and what YOU need to make YOU, your best.