We live fast paced lives in a fast-paced world. We often find it hard to slow down after living a fast life. And for this supersonic generation, self-care has become an aloof concept. Commercialization and capitalism have convinced us to believe that the greater purpose in life is to achieve success, even if it comes at the cost of health, inner peace and relationships. This has become a norm now. But we need to sometimes take a step back and introspect about our purpose. This is the first step we can take towards self-care. We can achieve great success in life but if we don’t take care of ourselves, then we might not be able to enjoy that success with all of our being.
Self-care is a complete array of care that a person employs to take care of all aspects of himself or herself. Self-care involves taking care of your body, mind and soul. All of these come together to give you overall great health. There are little things that can be done that can bring about great changes for overall physical, mental and spiritual health of an individual.
Self-Care Is A Continuous Process
Small steps can bring about big changes. And these changes must be followed until they become a habit as only consistent habits can give us great results. Repetition of a good habit can yield wonderfully beneficial results. This must be incorporated in our daily lives for our good physical, mental and spiritual health.
Self-Care For Nourishing The Mind
Take time to slow your pace down and observe the usual humdrum of life that you usually miss. For example, small things like brushing our teeth becomes a boring part of our lives that we usually mentally skip. But it is important that we slow down sometimes and pay attention to these little inconspicuous moments to enjoy the unusual. Take a minute out and pay attention to your breathing. Enjoy the sensation of breathing. Read uplifting stories, articles and books to gain different perspectives of life. Take out 10 minutes from your day to clean up a messy area in your room or office space and enjoy the feeling of achieving a clean space. Decluttering can be an uplifting experience.
Self-Care For Nourishing The Body
Take a walk outside by yourself and notice all the sensations. Practicing mindfulness while walking on the road will open your mind to little sensations like smells in the air, feeling the sun on your skin etc. Take out half an hour from your day to indulge in some exercise of your choice. It can be yoga, running or even walking that can fill you up with a burst of energy. Take a refreshing long bath with some bath salt and some relaxing music. It will help you in a great way to unwind after a long and tiring day. Eat healthy and fresh food to provide your body with all the necessary nourishment and enjoy the sensations of various tastes on your palate while you eat.
Self-Care For Nourishing The Soul
Providing nourishment to one’s soul is very important. Gratitude is a wonderful food for our soul. So, you can maintain a daily journal of gratitude and note down every day the things you are thankful for. Gratitude can ground us to the reality of our lives and give a wonderful perspective towards life. Researches have found a strong connection between gratitude and overall well-being of an individual. Practice mindfulness to find inner peace. Talk to your therapist or counselor to keep yourself in tuned with your emotions and inner peace.
Take care of your health, mind and soul as all of it comes together to form you.
