Self care refers to the intentional acts taken to tend to one’s mental, physical, emotional, and even overall health. Self care activities can vary from one individual to the next, with each act being unique to the person indulging in the valued activity. The self care process will help to recharge at least one aspect of an individual’s well being, if not the entire well being.
Self care allows a person to perform at their best. For example, think back to a situation where you were feeling angry, pent up, tense, and just about over your job. You show up to work and all you can think about is how much you dread being there and how much you will dread being there tomorrow. Some may classify this as the beginning stages of burn out. Self care comes as a useful tool before you even get to this stage. It forces you to pause and engage in something other than work, allowing you to disengage from work. By disengaging, you are able to focus solely on something that brings nothing but joy, pleasure, and relaxation. Regularly utilizing these types of activities will ensure you do not approach the burn out stage by promoting more positive emotions.
Another reason self care is valuable because it helps you get in tune with your confidence. Consistently doing things for yourself that you enjoy will create a sense of drive to continue doing them. Continuing to engage and accomplish these things will lead you in a state of feeling content, relaxed, happy, and even accomplished. Feeling accomplished leads to feeling successful. Feeling successful equates to being successful, which builds a person’s confidence in their abilities and even their self image. Creating a confident being drives an individual’s strength.
Another aspect that builds strength is failure. Failure will become less daunting because self care can also help guide you through upcoming, challenging endeavors. You will have the tools you need to take care of yourself when those hard situations arise. You will be able to look back on strenuous situations and realize you were able to overcome it because you took care of yourself. Through this process, you can learn what your own personal needs are, and even your limits. Knowing our limits helps us prevent future hurdles.
Self care is a valuable tool that every individual should utilize. If you find yourself curious to learn more about self care, or would like help identifying what you need for self care, reach out to a professional.
