Everything you need to know about the foundations of well-being
There is a lot of 'talk' surrounding self-care. Everyone is talking is taking a page out of someone's book and trying to incorporate various activities into their lives all with the goals of 'feeling good.' But what is it? Is it getting your nails done every two weeks?Is it spending time with friends and family on a more regular basis? Is it meeting up with coworkers for happy hour on Fridays? Is it a bubble bath and a glass of wine? For some, it can be. It's more than just a catch phrase though and appropriate self-car sometimes get's away from us. So let's get real about self-care.
Defining Self-Care?
How To...Self-Care
So are we still talking about Self-Care?
Self-Care? What is that?
Self-Care is defined as the conscious process of establishing behaviors to improve physical and mental health, increase eustress and decrease stress, and promote overall well-being. It is a conscious act and involves more than just a few fun activities.
The World Health Organization defines self-care as the ability to promote and maintain health, prevent illness, and cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a health worker. It can involve more than the individual and can extend to the larger community and support system.
So How Do We Do It?
So now you get it, and you're ready to take the next step in getting yourself in order. So what do you actually have to do to... well...self-care?
Self-Care is all about homeostasis, so establishing that is always the goal.
Establish a routine
Whether we like to heart it not, w are creatures of habit and do much better with structure. Creating structure and routines in our lives helps things feel a little more boring, in a good way. Establishing set sleep and wake times, morning routines, bed time routines, eating around the same time daily, engaging in structured activity of any kind on a schedule, all help our mind and bodies to find ease in a world that is often very chaotic. Because our environments are very complex, our brain and body work very hard to find connections, routine, and same-ness in order to process everything. Give your mind and body a helping hand by establishing routines which will do well to improve things like restful sleep, aches and pains, and mental fatigue.
Eustress = good stress, that kind that comes from positive experiences and overcoming challenges. Sometimes stress comes from a lack of engagement with self and others. Challenge yourself to learn a new skill, meet new people, step out of your comfort zone if it leads to a positive outcome. Eustress is directly related to your confidence in your ability to solve problems and cope. So build your confidence by challenging yourself to things...you are confident about.
Exercise, exercise, exercise!
And of course, the thing we enjoy the least. EXERCISE! Research demonstrates that exercise is not just great for your physical health, but also promotes mental and physical resilience. Recent studies demonstrate that routine (there's that word again) physical activity promotes neuroplasticity, increases problem-solving ability, improves memory, and reduces inflammation, anxiety, mental and physical and pain, and stress. It's also a way of setting (realistic) goals as a means of increasing eustress. You don't have to turn into a gym pro (or bro), but a few minutes of structured physical activity per day makes a world of difference.
Are we still talking about self-care?
Yes! Self-care is intentional, an essential. It goes beyond your ability to 'relax' after stress and disruption has already occurred, and involves your ability to cope and manage day-to-day stressors and build resilience against potential distress.
Now that you have a deeper meaning of self-care, it's time to develop your own practices for creating inner and outer peace. Again, we do not live in complete isolation and neither does self-care. Find ways to incorporate the self, your supports, and larger community into your self-care practices. Set your intentions
and support your overall well-being.
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