Why is self-care so important?
When you practice self-care, you produce positive feelings, which boosts motivation and self-esteem leaving you with increased energy to support yourself as well as your loved ones.
Self-care starts with tending to your own needs, looking after yourself makes a huge impact not only physically, but mentally as well.
Confidence in yourself may seem like a small step, but in reality it can lead to so much more self love. Even small acts of self-care in your daily
life can have a big impact.
“It's not selfish to love yourself, take care of yourself, and to make your happiness a priority. It's necessary.”
A deeper dive into self-care..
True self-care is making the conscious choice to build a life you don't need to regularly escape from. It's establishing simple, habitual actions that create balance and health in your life. It is also letting yourself be normal. Regular. Unexceptional. Human.
It is becoming the person you know you want and are meant to be. Someone who knows that salt baths and chocolate cake are ways to enjoy life – not escape from it.
"Self-care is putting on your own oxygen mask first""
Kate - www.thebetrayedwife.com
Self-care can be fun!
Think about the things that make you "feel good", it is different for everybody- there is no wrong answer. This can be as simple as getting a pedicure, sitting on the front porch for an hour a day, tuning off from social media or just taking your doggo for a walk!
"Fuel your body" "Fuel your mind "
What does self-care involve?
Lets hear from some real life practices or rituals that people in our community are doing for self-care. Maybe you are looking for something new to try, or maybe some of the stories below will inspire you to give them a try!
Never the less, enjoy reading about some self-love and self-care from some beautiful minds below. Know you are not alone and are part of a wider community learning to navigate challenges in every day life. Self-care is not just an overused word we see being mindlessly used, but we can truly ponder on what self-care means to us and be truly intentional about our actions for a happier, healthier us, which in turn our family, partner, husband, wife, kids, colleagues and everyone we encounter can benefit from.
- Amber-Pixie-Rose "If I can't get out into nature, then I try and do things with my hands, even if it's splashing cool water on my face, tending plants and flowers or I do my art. I have art I just do for myself and then other art. But I do try and get some form of nature connection in each day, even if it's in a small way. As it's my inspiration, my grounding, my solace and my self care connection. Gosh, I can babble.... I hope this helps in some way. I could go on about other things I do, but Nature is the biggest thing for my own self-care."
- Linda "The biggest changes I've seen are with these three habits: 1. Making and drinking fresh, raw juice every day - mainly carrot based. I have so much more energy, less junk food cravings and a clearer mind. 2. Taking evening primrose oil and magnesium capsules every night - the epo has stopped my joint aches in their tracks (I'm 56 and was starting to feel it!) The magnesium helps me sleep and stops cramps (I use Go Healthy brand). 3. My new skin care habit is Mia Belle rose hydrosol toner and CoQ10 serum twice a day. After just one month my skin is noticeably smoother (especially my neck) and one of my eyebrows that had a patch where hair had stopped growing, due to a whitetail spider bite, is now growing properly again. And that's after about 4 years of non growth! Impressive plant-powered skin nourishment. 💗"
"Our minds need space to breath"
@mamacathnz
- Yana "Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. I make sure I drink water first thing in the morning with my vitamin supplements."
- Mia "Getting enough sleep to rest my body!"
- Amber-Pixie-Rose (@thewonkypixienz) "Sitting in the hammock, eyes closed and listening to the birds. I am hearing impaired, so sound is really important to me, I am always delighted at the bird song I can hear, I know it's less than what others can hear, but it always delights me when I can hear the birds. Another thing for me is picking flowers or even better sitting amongst them! Nature herself really has her inspiration, but also her soothing and grounding qualities. My go to, are forests, and the quietness of them, I go and sit on the forest floor, looking up and all around me, then sitting quietly with my eyes closed. It's so therapeutic. There's a term called forest bathing - it's brilliant and so true. Being at one with nature. Then followed closely is the sea or waterscapes, I even love the rugged coastline, in all weathers, depending on the mood I am in."
" Self-care is practicing self healing habits "
- Jo (@wordsofheartnz) "Daily yoga… but also, I pair it with drinking more water. So I drink a tall glass of water before I start each session and refill the glass to drink a second one, once I’ve finished. 😍 💧 🧘🏼♀️"
- Arena "Self-care to me is having a down time everyday… a place to go away just for me. This sometimes looks like 15mins of coffee with me and God, reading a book a page each day or 30mins of getting a massage, or even 15 mins of walking alone enjoying nature away from technology. Giving my brain and heart to take a break"
- Danielle (www.dmtcoaching.co.nz) "Sitting or just being in nature to empty my mind 🌿🌱💚 Whether that’s sitting on my deck with my plants or in a park with the trees, or lying on my couch looking at my palm trees sway in the wind. I do this every day."
" Life should be touched, not strangled. You've got to relax, let it happen at times, and at others move forward with it."
- @mamacathnz "Self care is also doing some of the hard things for your own health and well-being."
- Amber "Drink plenty of water (but don't go overboard with it, listen to your body) Get outside into nature, even if it's for 5 mins a day, go sit in the garden, go for a walk in nature. I literally hug trees hahaha! I look for the sun filtering through the treetops, because I love to look how the light dapples through the leaves and branches. I go to the sea and be barefoot in the sand or if you aren't near the beach, do it on grass (non prickly of course!) For me, it's to use your senses, touch, smell, sight, and sound. I love sitting with my hands in the sand, eyes closed, and listening to the sea."
- Libby (@eliteassistancenz) "Whilst I am in the shower every night, I turn the shower off for a few minutes. I completely lather up head to toe and go through the negative things that happened in the day or things that didn't work out.. Then when I am rinsing off, I go through and validate each feeling as a learning curve, or wasn't meant to be- or simply "let it go". I rinse away all of the negative energy."
- Tim "Fundamentals - hygiene, good food, sleep, focus on your values."
Self-care for me
Personally, self-care is not overloading my schedule but allowing that breathing space in my schedule. How amazing it has been to see such a variety of what we are all doing to practice self-care. I love encouraging one and another to tell our stories, you never know what words will inspire others!
Cath xox
- To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.
Blog written for Mia Belle by Libby Culic @eliteassistancenz
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