In life, people experience all sorts of overwhelming circumstances. When these types of circumstances start piling up on top of each other, we can find ourselves in an incredibly tired and burnt-out state of mind. It’s normal to feel this way from time to time, but we definitely do not want to stay stuck there. So what can you do when you are overloaded with work and life?
When you hear the term “self-care,” what comes to mind? Is it pedicures and spa days, or hikes, or trips to the beach? So often, people think of self-care as a way of treating themselves every now and then to things that help them feel a bit of temporary joy. Now let’s be clear, there is absolutely nothing wrong with pedicures, and spa days, hikes, or beach trips! But aren’t we doing ourselves a disservice if the ONLY time we take to care for ourselves, is on the special occasions when we can work things like this into our busy schedules?
Life is stressful and incredibly messy! We need to care for ourselves through those messes that we face. So how do we do this? How do we make time for one more thing when life just seems to be so crazy?
Think smarter, not harder. Maybe you can’t take a spa day every day, but you may be able to give yourself 10 minutes to take a hot shower to relax. Maybe you can’t go hiking every day, but you can take a walk around your neighborhood after work. Maybe you can’t read a good book in the sand every day, but you can read one on your couch. Think of what relaxes you, and make it work for the context of your everyday life
Self-care does not just involve meeting your physical needs, but your mental health needs as well. When it comes to practicing self-care, many people often think that they are on their own. But the reality is, that support and accountability are vital aspects of self-care. None of us have it all together, all of the time. Taking the time to seek out professional therapy is a great form of self-care, as it allows you to step into a space in which you are able to process your story, and also to process and think through the best ways for you to care for yourself in your everyday life.
Often, we over-complicate the term “self-care.” We treat it like a luxury, rather than as a part of our natural everyday lives. But what if that changed? What if we stopped waiting for the big moments, and started prioritizing caring for ourselves all the time? By taking care of yourself, you are opening up opportunities for the healthiest version of yourself to be able to impact the lives of others in so many positive ways. Everyone’s story is different, but we all have unique strengths and challenges. You cannot always control the circumstances that life brings your way. But one thing that you can control, is how you care for yourself through them.
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