Why Self-Care is More Than Diet and Exercise

I grew up believing that looking after yourself meant not exposing yourself to any unnecessary dangers or risks. In my eyes, eating healthily and exercising meant that you took really great care of yourself.

It wasn’t until my thirties and my psychotherapy training that I realised what self-care really involved. And almost a decade later my discoveries still haven’t stopped! By working with people and growing as a person myself, I am faced with all the ways in which we are making ourselves miserable. This leads me to discover new ways of caring for ourselves because when you know what doesn’t work, you can easily find out what does.

So here are 5 great ways of of taking care of yourself:

Being Mindful

Mindfulness has become somewhat of a trend word that sometimes loses its true meaning. It’s not a new skill or process we have to learn but rather a state of mind we need to reconnect with.

Children are naturally mindful: they engage with whatever is happening. They give it their full attention and they are immersed in whatever activity they focus on.

Mindfulness is an important component of self-care. It allows us to naturally and effortlessly connect and engage with an activity, a situation or a person. We thrive when we focus on something without any distractions – especially the distractions of a busy mind.

So learn to give yourself a break by removing all unnecessary distractions and allowing yourself to focus on just one thing even if what you choose is having a shower or weeding your garden.

Being Grateful

Ah, gratitude! This is such a life-enhancing practice shunned by so many. Our brains are wired up to spot everything that we perceive as negative and as a result many people don’t feel like there is a lot to be grateful for.

But let me assure you, there is. We can train our brains to spot everything we can be grateful for and we will feel great benefits from doing so.

Being grateful does not mean pretending that everything is perfect. It means noticing what is.

And while we all hunt for the big things we can do easily be grateful for like a job promotion, a holiday or a new car, it is developing gratitude for all the many daily things that will torpedo your self-care into the stratosphere.

Being Optimistic

Like I said earlier, we are naturally wired to be pessimistic. Having a negative outlook is meant to keep us safe – and it has, but life has changed.

Our happiness and wellbeing is improved when we develop an optimistic outlook on life.

Yes, there are challenges and tragedies but there are also wonderful moments. Overall, there are way more wonderful moments than tragic ones.

So why dampen our moods by filling our minds with negativity? Why worry ourselves silly over things that might never happen?

Taking care of ourselves means being optimistic. We are resilient beings that cope with life’s challenges – when they happen. We can trust that. We can rely on that. So when there are no challenges and tragedies, we live best from an optimistic state of mind.

Being Open

The word ‘open’ doesn’t resonate with many but it is the perfect description for a state of mind that allows us to care for ourselves in an attuned and responsive way.

When we are closed, we are rigid. We fight and we struggle because we believe that things should be how we imagine they must be. This leads to a lot of unnecessary drama, conflict and distress.

When we are open, we are curious and willing to experience life. This allows us to struggle and control less and focus more on enjoying our experiences.

Acceptance plays a big part in cultivating an open state of mind. It is about letting go of trying to control what cannot be controlled and instead focusing on what is within our control: ourselves.

Being Present

Have you ever wondered why looking at a subset or being in nature feels so peaceful and wonderful? Or making love to someone you deeply feel for?

It’s because you are present. You are in the moment.

There is no separation and no distraction so you are fully connected.

When we are present, we are automatically mindful and engaged. It feels amazing because it is what is good for us. It is a sign for us to be as present as possible.

Being present is the pinnacle of great self-care.

The Mental Component of Self-Care

Self-care is not limited to looking after our physical health in terms of diet, exercise and medical appointments. It also extends to our mental and emotional health.

It is my opinion that today this is by far the most important aspect of self-care but sadly one that largely goes unnoticed.

We need to step up our game. As humans, we strive to learn and we strive to grow. And this is it: self-care is our next area of growth.

Learning to look after ourselves better and in alignment of the humans that we are is the next step in our evolution as a species.

And it starts with you.

To improve your mental health and wellbeing, read my articles and follow me on medium.

Photography by Fuu J – unsplash.com