Self-Care Hacks with Alexis
Self-care. It is described as an act of taking actions in order to protect and maintain one own’s health. Typically, we use examples such as taking a nice hot bath, reading a wholesome book, drinking your water, and getting your nails done. Although these are some prime examples of self-care. There is so much more to it than we may think. It took me a long time to realize what self-care habits I need to do in order to help me maintain my sanity and protect my energy. It definitely was not always easy to understand what I needed and when I needed it. Without a doubt I still struggle with finding the most helpful habits that assist me in different circumstances. We are forever growing individuals and what works for you this month may not work for you in a few months. Just remember to show compassion towards yourself while you are navigating how you feel, what you need, and what you want for your future.
When we discuss self-care, we are discussing four general categories:
1) Emotional/Psychological
2) Physical
3) Social
4) Spiritual
These four categories are generally what make up our overall well-being (there are other categories or areas that go into more depth as well, but I am going to focus more so on these four). They keep us growing and help us understand our needs as we grow and change throughout the course of our lives. While I was in college I actually learned a lot about these four categories, which is also why I try to keep them in mind while making decisions to promote my personal happiness. I will admit that before that one class I had no idea what these categories meant and how they actually affected people’s overall well-being. Before college I’d say I was pretty naïve when it came to understanding what I wanted and what I needed from myself in order to maintain my own well-being. I guess it was also hard to understand myself when I was always trying to put others first though too. Needless to say, that college course I took really helped me dive into my own thoughts on what I wanted for myself and especially what I needed to support myself.
As we continue the grand journey of life itself, we will also continue to learn how to manage many obstacles that ife throws at us. Each year that goes by is so different from the previous years before that. It’s kind of wild to think about. Just the fact that we are ever-changing beings in an ever-changing world. Even when we get into routine there are still differences in the day-to-day that we live. On top of that we add the idea of billions of people on Earth and how we each of us have our own thoughts, idea, plans, goals, families, concerns, etc. I truly believe our whole concept of human life and the psychology of it all is so interesting. Anyway, I just put myself into a little trance there. Basically, what I am trying to explain is the fact that it is important to learn about yourself and create a healthy self-awareness of who you are. This way you can have confidence in supporting all of these four categories, especially when life gets a little chaotic.
At first, it may be hard to find things that you like to do, things that you have time to do, or things that benefit you the most. It’s okay to go through trial and error. The smallest things can go a long way sometimes. Maybe being able to go through that trial and error phase will help motivate you to become more in touch with yourself all together. Or perhaps it could also help you be more present in your life as well.
There are hundreds of ideas on what you can do to help maintain and heal each category. It can be slightly overwhelming trying to find new ideas and suggestions on what actions you can take to start supporting your overall well-being. That is why I am here! I am going to lay out a variety of examples that relate to the four categories of our well-being. The examples I am going to provide are just a fraction of what is out there. If you feel that they don’t really work for you then I do suggest asking for some input from a friend or family member, or even the famous Google itself. I simply just want to give you a general idea on what supporting yourself in each area can look like.
Emotional/Psychological Health: taking a nap/getting a proper night’s rest, talking to a therapist, talking to a reliable and close friend, participating in positive self-talk, going out for a walk, mindful meditation, commit to taking your supplements/vitamins, eat a nutritious meal, increase water intake, set a realistic goal for yourself, etc.
Physical Health: participate in exercise and physical activity, take a warm bath or shower, increase water intake, get a facial at your favourite place, avoid consuming abundant amounts of salt and sugar, cut down on smoking and/or alcohol consumption, get your nails and/or hair done, eat your favourite fruit(s) or vegetable(s), etc.
Social Health: go for coffee with a friend or family member, reach out to others when you need advice or help, set healthy boundaries, join a new club or organization, volunteer for a cause your passionate about, participate in a group discussion online or in-person, express gratitude for other people, plan a fun trip with your friends and/or family, etc.
Spiritual Health: practice your religion alone or with a group of like-minded individuals, spend time in nature, practice yoga and meditation, connect with your faith-based community, practice positive thinking, induce thoughts about your purpose and meaning in life, plan a trip to spiritual grounds, ground yourself in the present moment, etc.
Like I said before…these examples are just a fraction of what is out there. If you came across this blog while looking for some guidance on how to support your general well-being, I hope these examples helped and gave you a few ideas on what might help you. At the end of the day you are in control and you are more than capable of creating a great self-care routine that helps you conquer life with love and gratitude. It just takes a little bit of time, patience, and effort that you need to 100% put into yourself. I'm talking to all of you empaths and people pleasers. Never settle on putting others first constantly. You are so important as well and deserve to give yourself some time to heal and breathe through your own life.
If you have made it this far into the post…thank you so much for being here and reading about how you can support your personal well-being. I truly hope this has helped at least one person on their journey and I hope you feel comfortable to come back for another blog.
Also, if you would like to, please let me know if this post helped you at all. I would love to get to know you and hear about your journey to success. You are incredible!
-AP