In recent years, self-care has been a widely discussed topic in the media. It’s even debated that the topic has become more of an aesthetic or a marketing strategy. However,the purpose behind taking care of yourself is not solely about trending skin-care products or pilates. Self-care is a maintenance and check-in routine that’s vital to everyone’s well-being.
Self-care involves tending to one’s mental and physical health. As a college student, I’m constantly under some form of stress. Whether it be from classes, attempts to build professional experience or life in general, stress is present. Letting the stress build-up becomes extremely damaging to your physical health, so it’s important to have methods of alleviating it. I’m not a licensed medical professional, but here are a few of my favorite methods to alleviate stress and check in with myself before I carry out my day.
- Meditation
Meditation has become fairly common, yet it’s still often mistaken for just sitting in silence. I use meditation every time I feel overwhelmed and when I struggle to gather my thoughts. I’m working towards doing it every day, regardless of what I’m feeling, to get better at setting an intention for each day. I don’t use meditation to escape the feeling, but decrease its intensity so that I can think a little clearer. Once you get to a more calm headspace, you’ll be able to consider solutions to the problem that may have caused the intense emotions.
- Yoga
Mental and physical health affect each other more than most would think. For me, I’m not going to physically feel the best if I’m not mentally feeling it. Yoga allows me to try to bridge that gap between the two with physical movement. Even if I just follow a five minute YouTube video, I’ll feel a little more motivated to do my best for the day after stretching my body.
- Journaling
I ensure that I take a few minutes every day to write out my thoughts, feelings, and goals for the day. Journaling is a great practice for reflecting, setting intentions for a day, tracking emotions, and venting. It’s also accessible, as you can either write these things out on paper or in a notes app. Journaling doesn’t always have to be paragraphs responding to prompts. It can come in the form of short phrases, bullet points, or a single sentence.
- Affirmations
Reciting or writing affirmations is another common practice discussed in the media. There are even Instagram accounts that post various affirmations for different situations, emotions, and seasons of life that people may be in. Affirmations are often associated with manifesting goals, but they’re also good for validating emotions. Reciting them out loud in a mirror can be slightly embarrassing or even uncomfortable, but it helps to speak these affirmations when your emotions are feeling very heavy. This is something I’m still working on being consistent with, but I love to write them down and look at them when I’m feeling low.
I hope you’ll try some of these remedies or find some that work for you. Most importantly, I’m rooting for you and hope you know that you deserve to take care of yourself!