Self-care has become a hot topic in the world of mental health. But what exactly is self-care and how can you take care of yourself?
Self-care is an important part of mental health. It’s necessary to ensure your physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing. How can you take care of yourself if you’re always running from one thing to the next? The constant hustle and bustle of life can make it difficult to carve out time for yourself. But, if you make it a priority, it will help you to get the most out of life and your relationships.
Here’s how to create a self-care ritual for body and mind.
Set boundaries
If you want to create a self-care ritual, you must set boundaries. What are your limits? How much time do you need and where can you find it? What’s important to you in your life? Making these decisions will help you figure out what works best for your lifestyle. Then, come up with an actionable plan of how to accomplish that goal.
For example, if self-care is important to you but sleep is more important, then decide if working out after work or getting a massage during the day will make the most sense. If cooking healthy meals is more important than eating out, use that as an opportunity to learn new recipes and implement them into your daily routine.
Take five minutes every day and think about what areas of your life need some love and attention. Make note of those areas on a separate calendar so that when the time comes for self-care, you can easily prioritize them.
Learn from your past
The past is a great place to start when creating your self-care ritual. Think back to your childhood and adolescence. What did you do for yourself? Who did you see when you felt low? What did you enjoy doing? These are all good places to start when developing a self-care ritual.
Another idea is carrying out daily self-care rituals that have been passed down from generation to generation. If there’s a family tradition or memory, it can be a great source of inspiration for a self-care ritual. For example, if someone in your family lights candles every day, have them light some candles before bedtime to help relax the body and mind.
Nurture your present
One way to take care of yourself is to spend time in the present. This might mean meditation, a walk outside, or taking the time to do something you love. When you are focusing on what’s happening now, your mind is not constantly focused on worry and stress. It allows you to live in the moment.
Another important part of self-care is being genuine with yourself. If you truly want to take care of yourself, then do more things that make you happy rather than more things that make money. At the end of the day, no one can take away your feelings if they don’t know what makes them tick.
Grow your future
The first step to building a personal self-care ritual is to create goals for yourself. You can set long-term and short-term goals, as well as being specific about what you want to get out of your practice.
Next, decide on a technique or activity that will help you achieve your goal. For example, if you’re trying to reduce stress through yoga, start practicing yoga regularly. Or if you’re trying to cultivate gratitude in your life with prayer, start praying more frequently.
Once you know what the goal is and how it can help you grow into a better version of yourself, dive into the practice!
Self-care is about making time for you
The first step to self-care is figuring out when you’re going to schedule it. The general consensus is that self-care should happen once a day and ideally after work or school. If you’re working full time, don’t forget about yourself in the evening when you get home too! Schedule your self-care at a time where you won’t be distracted by anything else.
Next, think of what kind of ritual will work best for you. Some people like to do yoga while others like to journal. Maybe you want to go on walks with your dog or have a cup of tea before bed. No matter what you choose, remember that it doesn’t need to be complicated. You can create something as simple as sitting in silence for 5 minutes or doing a mini meditation before bedtime.
In order to maintain your routine, make sure that it fits into your life so that it doesn’t take up too much time (or any time at all!). Doing something fun with friends but also spending some quality time alone sounds perfect!
Wrap-up
Self-care is an important part of mental health. It’s necessary to ensure your physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing. At 3Harmony we created self care kits and boxes which make it easier for you to focus on a specific need and make it a daily ritual. It's even possible to customize these and have them delivered on subscription, taking away the stress of remembering to re-order or the hassle of going somewhere for purchase.