Creative Ways to Think About Self-Care
Written By: Taylor Rao
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Sometimes, it’s hard to put yourself first. Whether you have a family to take care of, a long list of work obligations, or are constantly committed to social outings, self-care can often find its place on the back burner for many men and women.
According to Psych Central, one of the biggest barriers to practicing self-care is guilt. But why? For women in particular, it is common to feel that spending time on oneself means that is time taken away from others who might need it, such as your children or spouse.
In reality, the practice of self-care can encourage you to be more present and an all-around better person for the important people in your life. And to find an easier way to work a little bit of “you time” into your daily routine, there must be a shift in how you think about self-care. Here are a few creative ways to think about self-care that will help you adopt new practices in your life.
Practice self-care to…avoid resentment
While it can feel selfish, unnecessary, or overindulgent to practice self-care, the only feeling that can be worse than the guilt you might feel for taking time for yourself is resentment when you spread yourself too thin.
When you think of it that way, it becomes a bit more palatable to leave yourself some breathing room and dedicate a few moments each week to reset and refresh. When you take the time to do something that is completely focused on you, you feel fulfilled and accomplished rather than bitter or angry emotions that can easily be taken out on someone else when you’re not at your best.
Practice self-care to…be a healthier you
There’s a popular phrase out there that reminds us to “Fill your own cup first.” When you fill your cup, you replenish your energy –physically, emotionally, and mentally. And who doesn’t enjoy improving things about themselves? While it can seem intimidating to add new goals to your life on top of daily tasks and responsibilities, if we continue to strive to achieve new things, we can keep life moving in a positive direction with new milestones to look forward to at each turn in life.
For example, you could start with a small, exercise-focused goal, such as aiming to move your body three days a week or to work out for 30 minutes each day. Once you get into a new routine and check off that goal each week, you could find yourself aspiring to greater physical goals such as simply increasing your daily or weekly activity levels or aiming higher like joining a group fitness gym or training for a 5K, 10K or half marathon.
People who are active tend to feel physically healthier, have more energy, and feel accomplished after a workout. And then, you can pass along that energy and post-workout good mood on to your loved ones to be a better, healthier you at home or at work.
Practice self-care to…escape
Sometimes everyday life can feel busy and exciting, but other times it might feel boring and mundane. When you reach a point where you start to lose motivation to complete your normal to-do list, an ‘escape’ to a different reality can be a helpful way to temporarily refocus your thoughts and energy for a little while and leave you feeling more energized to get back to work.
Though watching television can feel like a poor or ‘guilty’ use of time for some, if you can unplug and watch a show in moderation, it is a great way to shift your thoughts and immerse yourself in a completely different topic. The same goes for books, too. Another positive with utilizing television or books as a way to practice self-care is there can often be a social component, where you can find time to connect with friends, colleagues, or family members who enjoy the same shows or books as you do –which makes it fun to keep up and chat about your thoughts.
Practice self-care to…manifest the future
Growth is a part of life, and staying in a stagnant place year after year is not always ideal. If you actively take notes of your thoughts and feelings in both difficult times and happy ones, you can use those notes as a way to reflect on where you were at during a certain point in your life.
One way to do that is to write in a journal, your way. If you want to sit down with a pen and paper, go for it. Or simply enter your stream-of-consciousness via the Notes app on your phone or type things in a Word document where you can easily edit and add moving forward.
Pose questions to yourself like:
● Where do I see myself in six months?
● Where do I see myself in a year?
● When do I feel like I’m at my best?
● What am I proud of?
While it might seem difficult at first, looking at your own words on a paper or screen in front of you can make your thoughts feel really…real. It can be a cathartic experience that will help you more clearly realize your goals, fears, accomplishments, and areas for improvement and give you a roadmap to make things happen for you instead of waiting around for change to come.
