Spring is almost here, and I am patiently waiting for the snowy, cloudy days to go away. It can be really hard to keep away negative feelings when the weather itself brings about a mood of depression in the air. Nonetheless, we must remember to take care of ourselves even if the weather doesn’t want us to. So, treat yo’ self. And, not in just any ol’ way, but give yourself some rightly needed self-care! This can come in many forms. So, in spirit of Week 8 coming upon us, and how slow it’s taking Spring to hop back in our lives, here are all the ways you can give yourself some much needed self-care.
Physical
The most obvious form of taking care of yourself is physically. This is typically the first thing we notice deteriorating since it’s, well, physically in our face every day. I mean, unless you don’t look at yourself daily in a mirror.
Sometimes these can include quick reliefs or long-term commitments to change. Here are some examples:
- Nutrition supplements
- Massages
- Change of diet
- Taking a yoga class this week
- Face masks
Emotional
Sometimes we forget about taking care of ourselves emotionally, especially when it comes to setting our own boundaries with friends. Take time to check yourself and your relationships. Are you feeling exhausted/irritated with them? With yourself? Maybe you need to re-examine your relationships. Maybe you need to let yourself have a good cry or, rather a great laugh. Remember that we cannot control our emotions, only our behavior, so let yourself feel all the positives and negatives in a healthy manner. Here’s a resource for healthy release of emotions.
Psychological
The easiest way to think about this area is your personality. What are your interests? What activities make you cringe? Take some time to engage in activities that really make you happy can really refresh your mind, which may include the following:
- Hanging out with friends
- Reading your favorite book
- Go and do “insert favorite activity here”
- Taking a bubble bath alone
Spiritual
Although not everyone is religious, there seems to be a human drive for the spiritual. Something inside of us enjoys exploring our inner self – our “soul” per say. It is helpful for anyone, whether religious or athiest, to engage in “meditating, spending time in nature, engaging in inspirational videos or literature and highlighting the nonmaterial aspects of life“.
Professional
This may be overlooked, especially by those not working in a professional field – usually seen as being in the office. However, ensuring your happiness wherever you are working is important. No matter the space, remember to make it your own place to be happy doing work in! And, if you have co-workers, try to converse with them even if it is only a few minutes a day. After all, we are social creatures. Finally, continue to balance your work load to make sure it doesn’t become overwhelming and interfere with your personal life (unless there’s a blend, if so, blend that blend!).