Healthy Self-Care Essentials

While you may be familiar with the term self-care, it can mean different things to different people.

It can also be misunderstood. So, what is healthy, responsible self-care? It might be described as direct, mindful attention to your personal holistic wellbeing.

A phrase that dovetails beautifully with self-care is ‘know thyself.’ In other words, if your state of overall well-being is predicated on how you take care of yourself, the actions involved will be based on your understanding of your unique needs as well as your boundaries. Positive self-care is about recognizing what is healthy for you−as well as what is not−and then taking steps that support and protect your personal wellbeing.

If you interpret the phrase ‘know thyself’ holistically, this means that your self-knowledge and awareness is based on an all-inclusive view of your total being. Every part of you deserves compassionate, ongoing care, including your physical, mental/intellectual, emotional, social, and spiritual spheres.

Physical self-care

This aspect of self-care refers to the physical elements of your daily life, from what you take, eat and drink, to how you care for your body, to the kinds of activities you engage in regularly, and more. Examples of positive self-care in the physical realm might include prioritizing healthy, fresh, whole foods meals and regularly engaging in yoga, as this ancient practice goes beyond mere physical activity, also including relaxation, awareness, regulation of breath, and attention to spirituality.

However you like to move, sound research suggests that regular exercise leads to improved overall well-being and quality of life, increased energy, an elevated mood, enhanced concentration, better sleep, and decreased risk of stress and depression.

Mental/intellectual self-care

This aspect of self-care places a focus on your mental and intellectual well-being, which includes keeping your cognition sharp over time, strengthening your critical thinking abilities, and nurturing your brain health and mental acuity. Healthy intellectual self-care includes any pursuit that engages your curiosity and imagination and encourages a questioning mindset. Positive indicators of intellectual wellness include the ability to be tolerant of different opinions, employing healthy skepticism, learning to see all sides of an issue, being open to new ideas, and continually developing your own views and opinions based on reason.

Emotional self-care

Emotional self-care is about becoming more aware of how you feel and what you do about it. Cultivating a positive emotional attitude and feeling free to express your feelings better equips you to resiliently navigate the ebbs and flows of life in a healthy way, whereas neglecting your emotional needs may increase feelings of stress, anxiety, or depression over time. The practice of emotional self-care includes setting healthy boundaries, treating yourself with respect and dignity, advocating for your own needs, and addressing your feelings with compassion and understanding.

Social self-care

Social self-care involves your connections with other people. While social isolation has been linked to mental, physical and emotional health problems, being available to share experiences with people you care about plays a significant role in your overall well-being and happiness. Healthy social self-care−like all aspects of your well-being−is a journey rather than a destination, as your holistic health is a continual work in progress.

To help ensure this area of your life is healthy, it is useful to periodically review your relationships. Who helps you to feel happy, uplifted, and inspired? On the other hand, whom do you find draining to be around? You do not need people in your life that make you feel diminished in any way. Surround yourself with those who appreciate and value you, as you appreciate and value yourself.

Spiritual self-care

Spiritual self-care involves nourishing your spirit, which is defined as the nonphysical part of yourself, your inner being which is the seat of emotions and character. This is not to be confused with religion, which is defined as the worship of a supernatural god or gods. Rather, spiritual self-care is about learning to worship yourself. It involves forging a deep connection with your beliefs and values and determining your own meaning in life.

This avenue of self-care might encompass various mindfulness activities, such as meditation, practicing gratitude, spending time in nature, and reflecting on what deeply matters to you, all of which can help you reduce stress, increase inner peace, and find your own unique purpose in this one life we know we have for sure.

As you can see, the art of self-care is multi-faceted, reflecting the many dimensions of your being. Nurturing yourself properly on all these essential levels is predicated on self-awareness, and the knowledge that you are responsible for our own health, happiness and well-being. You have the power of healthy self-actualization, so why not use it? You deserve this!