When we talk about self-care, a majority of people have a general sense of what that means. Most people have a “Self-Care Sunday” or include special activities for their personalized self-care routine. But for those who have yet to accomplish a routine, where do you even begin to start a self-care journey? Due to a variety of needs, everyone’s version of a self-care routine looks different. If you don’t know where to start, then this article is perfect for you!
It doesn’t take much effort to begin your self-care journey. One of the most fundamental attributes of self-care is taking a few moments for yourself. To start, utilize a minute of your time to assess your internal well-being. When was the last time you smiled? When was the last time you laughed? When was the last time you did something just for you? Asking yourself these questions will allow you to make the next step on your self-care path. After completing an internal self-assessment, you can figure out what you need and the things that would make you happy.
As you get started, you might want to try journaling or meditation. Journaling can be about anything you want: how your day went, any affirmations you have, goals for the day/month/week, doodles...anything really. Also, meditation doesn’t necessarily require an intensive session to be effective. It can simply be focusing on your breathing as you take a deep breath or even stopping to smell the roses, as one might say. You can begin by making time in your schedule to just sit and breathe. Become one with yourself as you take long and slow breaths, focusing on the intensity of each and listening to what your body is telling you. Overall, meditating and journaling are two of the simplest activities you can utilize in order to jump-start your self-care journey.
If you are already doing these and want to spruce up your self-care day, you can try adding a spa day or a yoga session. For example, your spa day could include taking a long hot bath or shower, followed by a refreshing face mask and/or facial massage and finally wrapping up with a big glass of lemon water and a snack. Additionally, a yoga session is a great way to relax and provide care to your physical health. It can be performed in the comfort of your home or in a guided class such as the SRWC’s plethora of yoga classes offered at a variety of levels. Maybe you want to switch it up and soak up the sun with a professionally led yoga session on the beach with the SRWC’s Yoga on the Bluff!
All in all, implementing some of these self-care tips on your next self-care day will, without a doubt, take you one step further on your self-care journey. It is vital to focus on you and your well-being; your mental, physical and spiritual health come first!
