16 Oct There Is Nothing New Under The Sun

Yep, I said it! There is nothing new under the sun and I’m likely not going to tell you anything you haven’t heard before but, I will put what you already know into context. What I can say is this; the term self-care has been coined to label what you’ve been doing for years. This just may be the season in which what you’ve heard for years is being repeated or delivered in a way that is finally taking flight just after you have an “Ah Ha” moment.

You have heard the term Self-Care. It’s become a catchphrase in the last few years and understanding the concept and routine engagement in self-care in the midst of global pandemic and rising concerns of social justice has become even more pertinent. In a time where access to our go to self-care activities such as mani’s and pedi’s, massages, happy hours and vacations off to an island oasis are limited, we are encouraged to think outside the box. So I ask, how do you think outside the box if you do not understand that self-care goes beyond the confines of a nail spa and passport stamps?

What Is Self-Care?

In a simple yet complex way, self-care speaks for itself; to engage in self-care means to take care of YOU by routinely engaging in activities that assist with managing the stressors of life. Where most people get stuck is lack of routine, thinking it needs to cost money and not realizing that there are layers of this revolving and inclusive activity. The six key components of self-care are:

• Mental self-care
• Social self-care
• Physical self-care
• Spiritual self-care
• Intellectual self-care
• Financial self-care

Mental Self-Care

The primary focus of mental self-care is to reduce stress and symptoms associated with depression and anxiety (we’ll hold off on the in depth conversation about depression and anxiety for another blog post). Awareness of your feelings and what influences your mood is helpful in identifying what self-care activities you need to promote mental health. You know those deep breathing exercises people talk about? They work. Other activities that you can engage in to promote mental well being are: reading, coloring, doing puzzles, listening to music, word searches and you know what else? Walking. This list is endless but you’ll notice how the list intersects amongst the self-care components.

Social Self-Care

Pull out your calendar. This component addresses your opportunities to engage socially. This is your family time, date nights, after work happy hours and girl’s night out. This component is typically reciprocal. Both you and your friends and family are on the receiving end of this self-care. This is one of my favorite forms of self-care because I’m a social butterfly and the lack of this opportunity during a pandemic has tolled heavy in my life (sorry I digressed… I’ll share more at another time). Lastly, phone calls, text, and snail mail to the people you love are also included in this component of self-care

Physical Self-Care

The focus of this element is two fold; to tend to your physical attributes (skin, hair, nails etc.) and you guessed it…To engage in physical activity on a routine basis. Healthy eating influences both aspects of physical care so keep in mind the foods you consume. What ones routine looks like may vary. People have established morning routines and evening rituals, the list is endless and needless to say there are an abundance of physical activity options ranging in intensity level from low to high. Physical activity releases endorphins and contribute to feelings of pleasure. Some examples of physical self-care are: walking, swimming, cycling, yoga, kick boxing, dancing etc. Identify what works for you and stick to.

Spiritual Self-Care

Dig deep…beyond yourself…like where your insides are. How do you feed your soul? For some people this may be the intersection of mental self-care and spiritual self-care; attunement with how you are feeling and connecting to something greater than yourself. Spiritual practices that people may engage in may include but is not limited to prayer, meditation, being outdoors, disconnecting from technology, journaling, religious practices and or gatherings etc. Participation in spiritual self-care is generally the space in which one is internally assessing and simultaneously connecting to sources outside of themselves.

Intellectual Self-Care

We talked exercise; well this is just that, but for the brain. Passion projects and discussions about the world promote thinking and flex the muscles of your brain. Also, some of those mindfulness exercises I mentioned in mental self-care also help with intellect. Have you ever tried Sudoku puzzles? They’ll get you thinking and processing for sure. Again, the list is limitless but I want to ensure you have options so here are a few more: listening to a podcast, taking a class, trying a new activity, cooking a new meal or reading a good book or magazine.

Financial Self-Care

For some, this is a conversation that people avoid but can wreak havoc and increase stress if we avoid the importance of managing our finances…And we know how stress has an adverse reaction to what our ultimate goal is. In order to effectively engage in financial self-care creating a budget, allocating every dollar that you bring home and saving is essential. Some people are traditional and use a pen and paper style ledger; some people use apps and others, their computer. Whatever you chose, stick to…trust me. The process may seem daunting but is rewarding in the long wrong. Start where you are, take notes and reflect 3 months, 6 months or even a year from now and see how far you have come and how much more peace you have in your life.

Now that you are able to put what you’ve known all along into context, let’s put self-care into action. Just remember, self-care is revolving, inclusive and can intersect between many facets of your life and ultimately improves your overall well-being. As you go on this self-care journey you may have to make some adjustments along the way…but you are not alone, we are in this together.