Self Care
Self care. Two words mentioned so often, it’s almost cliche. But, as cliche as it may be, self care- meaningful, purposeful self care, is also important. This is because regular, meaningful and purposeful self care can help act as a protective factor against adverse experiences and to help us cope with challenging situations, such as, for example, being vulnerable and the vulnerability hangovers that can come after (more here). Self care is also individual, and what will be most helpful and important for you, will be as unique as every individual, so it’s about getting to know yourself and your needs and building your toolbox.
There are seven areas you might like to consider in self care;
physical- this could be things like resting or sleeping, or moving your body in a way that works for you.
mental- this might include techniques like ‘worry time’ or the ‘Third Space’ (more here)
sensory- this could include input focusing on different sensory aspects, less stimulation, or more, depending on your needs.
creative- this involves things that spark your imagination, such as taking time to appreciate nature or engaging with arts or crafts.
emotional- this is about making space for, developing an awareness of and identifying what you might be feeling
social- depending on your needs in terms of your levels of introversion vs. extroversion, this could be some alone time, seeking out time with people or particular people, or a mixture of these.
spiritual- this is about engaging in something greater than yourself, whether religion, nature, or something else. I once heard a musician refer to their tour shows as ‘like church’- to me, this is what spiritual self care is about, whatever feels like ‘church’ for you that gives you a feeling of transcendence and something greater than you as an individual.
Self care, though is more than just taking time out to do things you enjoy. Self care can be doing things that you need in order to keep yourself well. For example, for those of us who are disabled, self care can also involve things like therapies, and other aspects of self care, like physical stretches or taking breaks, can be even more important and necessary in order for us to be able to continue to function and stay well. No matter what it looks like, self care is important, both the kinds we plan that may become routine, and the self care we put in place on a more urgent, at times ‘emergency’ basis when things arise and we need certain aspects of self care to cope.
If you want to explore this topic more, you might like to read our previous blog on emotions (here) in greater detail. Plus here are a few more resources to get you started;
7 types of rest article
card decks from Australian artist Georgia Perry on meditation & yoga, and hormones that influence our happiness & wellbeing.