A Holistic Approach to Self-Care

Photo by Simon Rae on Unsplash

Self-care involves the daily decisions we make related to our health and wellness, essentially all the things we do to take care of ourselves. It is important for our mental health for a few different reasons. Participating in self-care activities releases dopamine, the “reward chemical” in your brain, which helps to decrease symptoms of anxiety and depression. Our self-esteem is improved when we accomplish tasks and invest in ourselves. Tending to these different areas of your life also helps to reduce stress. When it comes down to it, we are more resilient when we are feeling our best mentally, emotionally and physically. The following five categories reveal a more broad and holistic approach to self-care, which you may have not considered.

Lifestyle

This category includes adding structure and routine to your life, relaxation (which prevents chronic stress from damaging your health), setting goals, scheduling fulfilling activities into your week, spending time in nature and participating in your favorite hobbies.

Practical

Finances such as paying bills on time and planning for future (this one is great for decreasing stress), housekeeping, keeping up car maintenance such as routine oil changes, planning meals and grocery shopping (this is good for your health and your finances), and living without excessive clutter (having a comfortable living environment positively impacts our mental health).

Physical Health

Nutrition (gut health plays a big role in mental wellness), getting enough sleep, exercise (mindfulness walks and yoga are recommended to decrease anxiety), keeping hydrated, taking your medication as prescribed, supplements, breathing exercises, wearing clothes you feel good in, resting when sick, and scheduling/attending routine preventative health care appointments.

Spiritual

Forgiveness, mindfulness, meditation, prayer, random acts of kindness, finding meaning and purpose, gratitude practices, reading inspiring words, self-love affirmations, attending services, and participating in recovery such as twelve step programs.

Mental/Emotional

Positive self-talk, positive beliefs (shifting the limiting beliefs we have about self), feeling your feelings (this is important for healing), socializing, journaling, learning and growing, working with a therapist, family of origin healing, working through grief, changing distressing situations, setting boundaries, inner child work and building a support system.

Many people have been taught that prioritizing yourself and your needs is selfish. It is important to treat yourself with the same care and love you treat others with. I encourage my patients to try to add self-care activities into their regular routines. As they begin to invest more time and energy into themselves, small shifts begin to happen in different areas of their lives including their relationships with other people. Self-care is a practice that will also lead to more self-love over time.

I recommend keeping a self-care journal. A place where you can document areas you want to explore and keep a list of goals for yourself. Make sure to acknowledge when you accomplish tasks, positive self-talk and giving yourself a pat on the back does wonders for your mental health.

Self-care and mental wellness are a circular process. If you take some time to care for yourself, you begin to feel better and your stress is better managed, this results in more energy and a positive mood, which allows you to be a healthier version of yourself and better able to be there for others. I hope this article inspires you to choose a few new ways to care for yourself today. You deserve it!