Self Care

Today we are going to be discussing the importance of self-care and what self-care looks like! When we think of self-care, a lot of us probably get the picture of a nice hot bubble bath, candles, a cup of tea, and some relaxing music playing in the background.

• Maybe you think of your favourite flavour of donuts or having a slice of your favourite pizza 
• Maybe you think of going for a run or walk outside 
• Perhaps you think of a fun family camping adventure out in nature 

Self-care is all of those things, but it is also so much more. Self-care is about filling your bucket so that you can continue to water the flowers around you.

At the end of the day, self-care is the act of deliberately doing an activity to take care of our emotional, physical, and mental health – these are often things that are overlooked so that we can “keep on chuggin’ along.”

Not only does self-care help you refill your bucket, but it has also been shown to decrease the effects of anxiety and depression. It can help people feel more awake, be more productive, and help others as well.

If you want to show up, build stronger relationships, improve your communication skills, feel better, have more energy, or have some fun, self-care is for you! Self-care is not selfish, because you need to take care of yourself in order to show up in life to the full extent that you can!

How to start your self care routine:

• Actively plan for a time – schedule it into your calendar – just for yourself
• Do something simple to begin with
• Create a list of things you liked and things you didn’t like – this will help you create a more tailored time for yourself
• Create a “no” list of things you won’t do during your self-care time (i.e. check work emails, go on social media, etc.)
• Try to continue everyday and don’t be afraid to try new things. Often, our body will tell us what it is craving. It’s okay if one night you have a bath, the next day you get up early to get some exercise, maybe the next day you try mindfulness. Your self-care activities do not have to be the same all the time! If you want them to be, great!
• Try to ramp up your self-care so you are doing one relaxation and one active thing per day! You can join them together by adding a mindfulness at the end of your exercise routine if you feel pressed for time!

Self Care Ideas

• Exercise (run, walk, do yoga, try an online workout, do yard work)
• Spend time with animals
• Try mindfulness
• Cook your favourite meal
• Meal prep for the week
• Clean your house
• Laugh with friends and/or family
• Have a bubble bath
• Go to bed early and get a good rest
• Read a book
• Start a gratitude journal
• Dance

Do you do anything for your self-care that we didn’t include in our list?

Resources

https://www.continuingcaresafety.ca/resources/ccsa-safety-campaigns/july-self-care-month/
https://psychcentral.com/…/what-self-care-is-and-what-it-i…/
https://www.mindfulschools.org/…/educators-you-have-permis…/
https://www.mindfulschools.org/inspiration/self-care/