When you hear the word “self-care” what comes to mind? What does self-care look like to you? The answers to these questions will vary to us all. Although we all have our ideal picture of it, the concept of self-care itself has been conceptualized and society has imposed its own belief on what self-care should look like. From blog posts to Youtube videos and podcasts, self-care is often defined as the notion of prioritizing our health and well-being through various activities. It is often associated with typical activities such as taking a relaxing bath, meditating, or journaling. Although these activities do fall under the concept of “self-care”, the real purpose of self-care is often overlooked. Self-care isn’t just engaging in pleasurable activities; it’s the ongoing process of cultivating a more nurturing, mindful, and caring lifestyle for yourself. This involves prioritizing the five dimensions of self-care. Many people aren’t familiar with the five dimensions and just adopt the typical self-care concept that is imposed by society. However, to live a healthier life and truly practice self-care, it’s important to redefine our own definition of self-care and identify its five different dimensions. Here are the five different areas to help you discover the true meaning of self-care.
1. Physical self-care
Physical self-care involves prioritizing your physical needs. You need to take care of your body if you want it to function efficiently. Keep in mind that there is a strong connection between your mind and your body; so when you take care of your body, you’ll feel and think better too. Physical self-care is the most popular form of self-care practiced. You might be thinking that activities such as eating healthier and getting enough daily exercise will do the trick. However, physical self-care requires much more than remaining active and prioritizing nutrition. Physical self-care requires you to assess how much sleep you’re getting, how you’re fueling your body, and how you are tending to your physical needs. This includes maintaining a well-balanced diet, attending doctor appointments, taking prescribed medication, and even dressing in comfortable clothes.
2. Emotional self-care
Emotional self-care is centered on the awareness and regulation of feelings. It’s essential to have healthy coping skills to manage uncomfortable emotions like anger, anxiety, and sadness. Therefore, emotional self-care can include any activity that exercises your emotional intelligence. Such activities can include talking to a trusted friend, setting aside time for leisure activities that can help process your feelings like journaling, listening to music or even drawing to help you destress.
3. Mental self-care
Mental self-care involves doing things that help you stay mentally healthy and keep your mind sharp. Just as every dimension of self-care is important, mental self-care is vital to your well-being. The way you think can greatly influence your psychological health. Therefore, a way to practice mental self-care can be by engaging in intellectual and creative activities that stimulate your mind. Activities such as reading a book, watching a documentary, or learning about a subject that interests you are ways to keep your mind sharp. Other important ways to practice mental self-care are by practicing self-compassion and acceptance. Read mantras and affirmations out loud every day to develop positive inner dialogue; get in touch with your creative side and create a vision board.
4. Spiritual self-care
Spiritual self-care is the awareness of and relationship with something bigger than ourselves. Of course, this will be different for everyone depending on your spiritual beliefs. However, it can involve anything that helps you feel a sense of purpose, belonging or connection. This can include activities associated with your beliefs such as praying, attending a religious service, spending time in nature, or meditating. Ultimately, the activities will vary but the purpose of spiritual self-care is to nourish your spirit.
5. Social self-care
Social self-care is centered on socialization and maintaining meaningful relationships/friendships with others. Interaction with others is important for your well-being and it allows you to form a support system in your life. Social self-care will look different to everyone, though. Not everyone is an extrovert nor do we all share the same social needs. Therefore, it is essential to identify what your social needs are, work towards meeting those needs, and try to maintain a healthy well-balanced social life.
Essentially, self-care is a multidimensional process. Taking care of yourself involves caring for your mind, body, and spirit. It is an on-going process of prioritizing all areas of your life and looking after each of these parts of our being. Maybe you found out that you are disregarding one of these certain areas of your life but that’s okay. Now you know that self-care isn’t just the act of engaging in pleasurable activities. It is when you attend to all these areas of your life that you are engaging in purposeful strategies to live a mindful and healthy lifestyle.
