People are often reluctant to prioritize their self-care because it is in their nature to put others first. Here is a way to re-frame this: it’s not about you. You need to prioritize self-care because you have people depending on you. Meaningful self-care includes making mindful changes in patterns of thoughts and behaviours that do not contribute to your wellbeing.
When you make time for yourself and get sufficient rest and exercise, you feel more energetic and will be able to do more for yourself as well as for those around you. Looking after yourself is an ongoing practice in building resilience to face hardships and in preventing burnout.
Become selfish when it comes to prioritizing your own mental health
Keep the following phrases in mind to model…
– Self-compassion
‘I will treat myself like I would treat my best friend’
‘If I ignore my emotions, I end up feeling worse. I feel better when I let myself cry’
– Self- kindness
‘I can try again tomorrow’
‘I made a mistake. It is a learning experience, not a failure’
– Self- respect
‘My opinions are worth expressing’
‘I can disagree with them and still have a valid belief’
– Self- patience
‘I gave it my best effort. I need to learn a new skill to do even better’
‘I can only focus on what’s within my control’
BUILDING RESILIENCE: Read in this series
8 types of Self- Care
#1 Physical Self-Care
nutrition l exercise l sleep
#2 Emotional Self-Care
gratitude l forgive yourself and others l manage stress
#3 Social Self-Care
know your boundaries l community l connection
#4 Spiritual Self-Care
meditate l nature l yoga
#5 Personal Self-Care
enjoy life l know yourself l personal identity
#6 Space Self-Care
clean l safety l organizing your space
#7 Financial Self-Care
budgeting l saving l money management
#8 Work Self-Care
time management l feeling productive l skills
