Thoughts on Self Care

About two years ago I had a huge wakeup call when it came to my mental health, self-awareness, and (to be fairly dramatic) how I lived my life overall. To say that I was living in a bubble is probably the vaguest yet most accurate way to describe it. But deep down what it really felt like was that I was struggling. Every. Single. Day. To do even the simplest things in my everyday routine.

I felt as if I was floating within time and I couldn’t quite connect to any emotion, person, or feeling deeply. At times, I felt numb to all of these things, but overall I was just so goddamn confused. I was not self-aware of myself or of those around me, so many of my relationships were effected by my inability to connect to and understand myself. This was the hardest pill to swallow.

I remember many days I would wake up with immediate anxiety, as if there was a weight on my chest and I could not breathe properly. It got so bad some days that I would almost have anxiety attacks while I was getting ready for work. After I would pull myself together, anxiety would creep back up on my ride to work and I would find myself near to tears. – This is the non-so-glamorous side of life. And it’s. F*cking. Hard. Especially when you can’t understand why you feel a certain way, and then coming to the realization that you may not be loving/caring for yourself in the way you desperately need it. Being brutally honest with yourself in this way is challenging, but it can set you free.

And this is where I started to learn about the importance of self-care.

Self-care is described as the “practice of taking action to preserve or improve one’s own health” according to Oxford Dictionaries.

When I started implementing small self-care acts to my daily routine I noticed major shifts in my overall mood, my thoughts, how I talked to others, how I presented myself to the world, etc. And when I noticed these shifts, I was in awe. I couldn’t help but wonder why I had not started this process sooner? And not only that, but why wasn’t something so simple yet so important not taught to us as a whole?

There are so many incredible people who share their personal remedies for self-care, and although I have personally been inspired by some, I think it is extremely important to acknowledge and be compassionate towards the fact that self-care is going to look different from each person to the next. And from there, it is going to look different from each day to the next. For example, some days myself care is reading a book. Other days it might be catching up with an old friend, another day it might be grabbing a double chicken burrito bowl from El Pollo Loco. Self-care is so individual and personal that it could be anything that rings true to your soul.

One of my favorite ways to implement self-care to my daily routine is by creating a specific morning routine. My ideal morning routine sounds a little like this: wake up early to take care of my skin and teeth, chug water, make coffee, stretch my body/do a bit of yoga, and finish off by journaling anything that comes to mind. I do this until it is time I have to get ready for work and when I close my journal, that is my way of knowing that I showed up for myself and my mental health in at least one way that day.

I found it a bit confusing when I first started to try to listen to what I needed as a form of self-care. But it is all about experimenting and seeing what feels best for you! Below are a few of my suggestions:

Self Care Suggestions: taking a hot bath, journaling, reading a book, taking a walk outside, treating yourself to your favorite food, being active/moving your body, talking to a friend, watching a movie, meditation, trying something new, coloring/art in general, getting outside, baking/cooking, playing a sport, your favorite hobby, etc…. Anything that brings you joy – and not based on others thoughts/perceptions.

So, you find something that rings true to your soul… now what? Now, it’s time to break it down to set it all up for yourself.

Setting It Up:

• Check in with yourself. How are you feeling in this moment? Listen carefully to where your thoughts lead to – pay attention.
• Be honest with yourself. What you love to do? What brings you the most joy? What is important to you?  Are you making enough time for these things on your normal schedule?
• Take action. Do something that you love and that feeds your soul. Something that you are doing for you.
• Create boundaries. Where time and action come together to form a non-negotiable promise to yourself, for yourself. Self-discipline is badass.
• Write it in and prioritize. Find time in your daily schedule to do something for yourself every single day – no matter what it is, as long as it feels good to you (and is not hurting someone else, obvs.)
• Be open to change. We are evolving creatures, so our needs may evolve, too. Listen to when you feel a bit stagnant with life and use that as an opportunity to try something new.
• Continue to look forward. Self-care is not an over-night fix, but rather a continuous honor to be aware of your needs and overall health.
• Above all, be kind to yourself. You are only on this earth once, and deserve to live it in the highest form of love and happiness. Spread it like wildfire, and change the world.

If there is one thing that I have learned through my continuous journey of self-care and self-discovery, it is that there is no right or wrong way to take care of yourself and love yourself, but there is a healthy way. And that everyone’s definition of healthy self-care is going to be different. Starting the journey of self-care and self-discovery can change your life if you let it, so why not give it a try?

What are some of your favorite self-care remedies and or routines? How would you personally describe self-care? What have you learned by implementing self-care into your daily routine? Feel free to leave a comment, I would love to hear more!

Disclaimer:

Everything I share here is from my own personal experience, thoughts, and life. I hope that by sharing my story, I can help someone out there. I have never been clinically diagnosed with depression, anxiety, or other mental disorders/diseases. And I do not take these topics lightly, and if you are struggling yourself in a way that you cannot help yourself, I encourage you to ask for help in any avenue that you feel comfortable. Whether that be a doctor, family member, friend, and/or therapist – you are important, strong, and you are meant to be here and experience a beautiful life.

• 

• 

•