THUNAIHow do we put ourselves and our happiness first?
When we are caught up in the responsibilities and stresses that come with adulthood, it is easy to forget to put yourself first. It becomes difficult to justify why you should take time to yourself when there are so many other things calling for your attention- work, a friend in need, family, errands, the list goes on. Self-care is a way in which you can choose to prioritize yourself amongst all those other responsibilities of your every-day life. These are actions that you take to improve your mental, physical and emotional health, and have long lasting effects on your well-being.
If you are in a situation where you are helping somebody through a mental health crisis, taking care of a loved one that depends on you, or helping a friend get professional help, it can almost feel selfish to take this time for yourself. It can be tempting to constantly put their needs before yours, but remember that you matter too. These activities protect you from the emotional exhaustion that might come from these situations, and reminds you that you are in control. Protecting and taking care of yourself even puts you in a better position to help. Here are some suggestions for self-care practices you can incorporate into your life:
1. Wake up early and with intention:
For those that find this difficult, starting with small steps can help. For example, instead of just trying to wake up very early one morning when you normally don’t, start setting gradually earlier alarms. You can set your own pace – even if it means setting it 5 minutes earlier the next morning, and then 10 minutes earlier in the morning after, etc.
To start your day with intention, create a list of manageable things you want to achieve that day- again even starting small, like checking off brushing your teeth from your list can motivate you, and it feels good to go to bed knowing you have achieved something.
2. Check in with your thoughts — they become your actions:
A useful way that you can practice this is through journaling. This helps us become more emotionally aware and catch ourselves from falling into negative spiral of thoughts and emotions.
3. Make time for physical activity (even walking or stretching):
Moving your body kick-starts your metabolism and releases the “feel good” hormone, serotonin, which helps relieve stress and increase self-confidence. Additional benefits of exercising include feeling more alert, productive, and creative throughout the day. Exercise is also neurogenerative.
4. Connect with someone you love:
Humans are wired to connect. Loneliness has devastating effects on our mental and physical health. Research shows that relationships can improve health by helping us manage stress, improve immune system functioning and giving meaning to our lives. Read about Oxytocin and how social connections help us generate this hormone.
5. Learn a new skill:
While a lot of self-care advice might include feel-good activities, taking the time to do things that will help you in the future is also self-care. For example, learn a new language, pick up a hobby, or another new skill. Learning new skills leads to neuroplasticity and this helps us find a refuge when a crisis happens. This is when self-care is not just about doing things to feel good now, rather it’s about your growth and development as a person.