Self-care is the cornerstone of health. Without incorporating time for ourselves, we can quickly burn out and become anxious, depressed, or otherwise dissatisfied. When there are a million things to get done on top of whatever else, it can feel impossible to consider the idea of self-care. As impossible as it may seem, it is essential. So, get ready to pencil one more thing into your busy schedule. Here’s how to practice self-care this year, so you can be the best you can be every day.
Take It Easy
Do your best to take things one thing at a time, and don’t rush yourself. You are always doing the best you can, even when it doesn’t feel like it. You deserve to find time to breathe and do not need to drive yourself mad to feel productive or like you’re taking care of things. The best thing you can do for yourself is to take it easy.
Do your best but know your limits. Take breaks, and honor what your mind and body are saying. Dress in comfortable clothes like sweatpants and lace bralettes, and try to incorporate relaxation into your day as much as possible.
Surrender To What Is
If you are going through a difficult time, you can choose to be gentle with yourself and essentially take the edge off of whatever is troubling you. By surrendering to what is and accepting your current situation, you can get out of your way and move forward more quickly. If we allow our emotions to become too immersed in our current predicaments, we hinder our ability to overcome our obstacles and progress onto a more pleasant life experience.
Whether you are struggling with your health, your job, your family, or something entirely different, make the conscious decision to detach from the chaos and do what needs to be done to get through the difficulties. With less resistance to your current reality, you can make positive changes and ultimately change things for the better.
Embrace The Cold
Cold water can engage the parasympathetic nervous system, which essentially wakes the mind and body. If you are feeling sluggish or tired, splashing some cold water on your face or taking a cold shower can do the trick to get you back on your feet.
To take care of yourself, do what you can to keep yourself feeling healthy and energized by relying on simple tricks like these. You also want to soothe your nervous system to reduce anxiety and tension. Taking care of the whole self by incorporating temperature work can help boost your mood and energy levels.
Give Yourself Credit
Give yourself credit for all you’re doing to care for others and your own life. It is not easy to take on what you take on each day. It isn’t easy for anyone. Acknowledge on a collective level that we are all dealing with stress and pressure. By patting yourself on the back, you can motivate yourself to persist onward, even when things feel tough.
It’s not about becoming superhuman; it’s about acknowledging that things affect us and wear us down, but that these hold ups don’t have to keep us down forever. Give yourself credit and self-compassion to take care of yourself to the fullest.
The Bottom Line
At its core, self-care is about finding what feels good to you and utilizing these strategies daily to keep yourself feeling healthy, happy, and motivated for whatever life throws at you. Go easy on yourself and consider the steps above as you work to implement more self-care practices into your daily life.
