Resources

‹ Back

Jumpstart Your Self-care Practice

 

By Susan Waters
September 3, 2023

Self-care is a commitment to lifestyle practices that support the magic of being alive. With self-care, we nurture and grow the energy that allows us to fully experience life.

 

It is taking action for our own health and wellbeing. This includes care for our physical bodies, mental state, emotional stability, relationship health, and if desired, our spiritual connectedness.

 

Self-care includes:

• Adding healthy lifestyle practices
• Avoiding unhealthy lifestyle choices
• Self monitoring
• Self management

 

A big misconnection about self care is that it is selfish. It is not. On the contrary, healthy lifestyle practices are the best way to take care of ourselves in order to be available for others—and to live our own best life.

 

Self-care is also not about depriving ourselves of our rare comforts. Instead, we are slowly replacing our less-than-healthy ways by adding in moments of healthy nurturing and support that build and grow over time until it becomes a lifestyle.

 

We are all so busy. Most of us feel we don’t have time, the money, or the energy for self care, but it doesn’t take much. Start with a moment in the moment (such as breathing when angry or taking a minute to visualize or be in a favorite nature spot). There is never a perfect time or place or frequency.

 

Our practice doesn’t have to be big or perfect. In fact, every small effort matters. Like a muscle, it gets stronger over time and with practice. Self care and wellness become a way of life. Success provides motivation and self perpetuates.

 

Some benefits of a self-care practice:

• Become healthier, happier, more efficient and energetic, and that energy is sustainable
• Reduce stress and find balance of purpose, love and joy in our lives
• Your life is your ultimate masterpiece — use the best tools you can and have fun creating your most beautiful work of art

 

We all need regular doses of self-care. Caregivers especially, both professional and volunteer, can give so much of themselves that they deplete themselves to the point of severe stress, mental and physical depletion, life imbalance, relationship strain, anxiety, depression, and eventual burnout. This work is often done while riding on a temporary uplift with a feeling of invincibility, which is not healthy or sustainable. Sometimes over giving can provide an unconscious avoidance of other life issues. Any of these things can lead to exhaustion, denial of how out of balance life is getting, and compassion fatigue.

 

The goal of self care is to bring ourselves back into health and balance to preserve longevity of service and happiness for ourselves and others.

 

Some signs of stress and potential burnout:

• Physical reactions such as headaches, body aches, stomach problems, skin rashes.
• Changes in appetite, energy and activity levels
• Difficulty sleeping, nightmares, upsetting thoughts and images
• Numbness, disbelief, anxiety, fear, depression, anger, short temper, irritability
• Increase in use of avoiding and addictive substances and activities

 

How do you identify self care practices that are right for you? Give yourself permission to take care of yourself without guilt. You deserve a life of joy, positive energy and happiness.

 

Ask yourself these questions:

• What makes you feel alive? What uplifts your energy?
• Think, talk, or journal about what you discover
• Get creative. Look for inspiration using online assessment tools, books and magazines, gyms, continuing ed classes, wellness centers, pets, children, nature, art, music
• Develop a self care strategy with structure —a plan of action (such as setting and keeping boundaries, sticking to planned breaks, setting times for self care)
• Do your best without judgement
• Embody and celebrate your big and little successes

 

When you feel resistance, tune in to your body and feelings and get curious with self compassion and non-judgement, go deeper and ask yourself questions. Trust your intuition.

 

Some specific activities to incorporate in a self-care practice:

• Set the intention to care for yourself. Fill the well.
• Attend basic body needs - hydration, nutrition, sleep, physical movement like walking or yoga
• Ground with the earth—it has electrons that balance yours
• Spend time in nature
• Use breathwork for good oxygenation and nervous system regulation
• Take up meditation, mindfulness, prayer or quiet time in reflection (not rumination)
• Visit with friends and family and connect with your tribe.  Community connection is one of the biggest contributors to happiness.
• Get a massage or some bodywork
• Volunteer (please—no guilt if you don’t have time)
• Limit negative exposure, including conversations, media, and entertainment
• Laugh, celebrate the good, and dance whenever you can
• Be kind, forgive, let go
• Have gratitude
• Make what you have control over into a positive

 

When starting a self-care practice, meet yourself where you are with love. Ultimately we are all doing the best we can and the past is gone. Move forward from this moment, show yourself the compassion you would for a vulnerable loved one.

 

Some ideas for keeping it going:

• Build and commit to your self care strategy.
• “Clean house” and reassess your schedule, edit activities, say NO, say YES
• Buddy up with kindred soul or a group for accountability and support
• Combine activities (but be mindful of not over multitasking) such as grounding in nature as you snack, have walking meetings, breathing exercises while commuting
• Wellness Apps and trackers
• Pets, children and nature as motivation
• If what you are doing isn’t working, try something else that lights you up and gives you energy, including “alternative” approaches, even if it feels silly at first (such as laughter meditation)

 

There may be times when professional help is needed. We all have to eventually work through traumas, difficult emotions or health issues and it’s okay to get help from specialists when we are overwhelmed. Like you, they are good at what they do and want to help. You deserve the support you need without self judgement. No one who cares about you would judge you for seeking help.

 

Check in regularly with your nervous system. When we get quiet for a moment and really check in with our bodies, we can feel where we are with our nervous system regulation. On the low end of the spectrum of disregulation we can feel apathetic, detached and numb. On the high end, we can feel extremely agitated, overwhelmed, feel constricted, and have racing thoughts. To be in a healthy state is to be regulated in the middle, where we are alert but calm, are breathing deeply and feeling expansive.

 

And please don’t forget your regular health, dental, and wellness appointments.

 

When jumpstarting a self-care practice, remember that you don’t have to overthink it or overdo it —every little effort adds up to get you where you want to go. You’ll be healthier, more energetic and present, and have more to give to yourself and others. It becomes your new way of life. You can reclaim your joy and reverence of being alive.

 

There is only one you! Take care of yourself and shine your light as bright and for as long as possible.

Copyright 2023 Susan Waters, Waters Wellness LLC
SusanWatersWellness.com

 

Back to Resources