Self-care is something that’s picked up speed over the past year or so in our culture, and I’m so glad that it is. As I’ve reminded you many times here, self-care is an important part of maintaining healthy well-being.
When self-care first started to become “a thing”, people started off by recognizing self-care as a “treat” or reward for doing something great. But, that’s not what true self-care is about. Self-care should be a routine of regular activities and practices that help cultivate a more nurtured self-awareness and growth.
Self-care is more than just a hot bath or any other kind of self-pampering. It’s more than a matter of “treat yo self”, it’s a matter of health. Self-care is something everyone should hone in on in every season of life, not just the seasons that you need extra tending to.
Personally, I like to break down self-care into 5 categories. If you do the same, you’ll find it easier to map out exactly what areas you need to focus on. Some will need more attention than others and some will change with the seasons.
[bctt tweet=”The 5 Dimensions Of Self-Care” username=”SummerTelban”]
I have also created an activity sheet for you to help learn new ways to grow in each dimension of self-care. Don’t forget to grab it, print it out, and fill it out!
THE 5 DIMENSIONS OF SELF-CARE:
Self-care is such a beautiful thing if you think about it. The meaning and purpose of self-care in of itself is a reflection of who we are as humans: multidimensional. When most people think about self-care, they often jump to thinking about physical areas they can tend to. When creating your routine, something that’s really important to remember is that self-care has many aspects to it that aren’t just physical.
[bctt tweet=”The meaning and purpose of self-care in of itself is a reflection of who we are as humans: multidimensional.” username=”SummerTelban”]
5 Aspects Of Self-Care:
- Physical
- Emotional
- Social
- Intellectual
- Spiritual
1. PHYSICAL SELF-CARE // Again, physical self-care is the most common form of self-care that people hone in on. From exercising to treating yourself, there is really an endless list of practices and activities that can help your overall physical health.
Physical Self-Care Practices & Thought-Starters…
- When you look into the mirror, compliment at least one physical thing you love about yourself
- Eat well and intentionally
- Get a mani/pedi or massage
- Develop a consistent workout routine
- Try a new workout routine once in a while
- Moisturize well – don’t forget to moisturize your face
- Wash your face in the morning and before going to sleep
- Take extra time on your hair/make-up once in a while
Physical self-care can often overlap with mental self-care because how you view yourself will reflect through how you take care of yourself physically.
2. EMOTIONAL SELF-CARE // For me, emotional self-care and mental self-care go hand-in-hand together. They’re both about balance and healthy, positive thinking. Emotional self-care is also where you’ll focus on reducing stress and the chaos that could be going on in your life (or even in the lives of those around you regularly). Personally, I think emotional self-care is one of the most important aspects of self-care to always be nurturing.
Emotional Self-Care Practices & Thought-Starters…
- Take time to reflect
- Keep a gratitude journal or jar
- Treat yourself with kindness and handle yourself with grace
- Talk to someone you can trust about your personal struggles
- Remember forgiveness and put it into practice
- Say “no” when you need to and during times of stress
- If you’re struggling, look for the root of the problem and write down steps you can take to overcome it at its source
- Cry if you need to
- List all of the things you love about yourself
[bctt tweet=”Activities & Thought-Starters To Help You Focus On Self-Care” username=”SummerTelban”]
3. Social Self-Care // We are social beings, so it’s important that we focus on developing and deepening relationships with others. Social self-care is all about making sure that your inner social circle is caring, healthy, and supportive. We were made to connect with others and even introverts need to remember to tend to social self-care. Don’t worry, introverts – I know this can be more of an uncomfortable part of self-care for you. I’m an introvert myself. Introvert or extrovert, we all have an inner social circle that needs some loving.
Social Self-Care Practices & Thought-Starters…
- Regularly spend time with those who lift you higher
- Only seek to have intentional relationships with those who aren’t just a great influence, but who also encourage you
- Steer clear and eliminate any and all toxic relationships
- Don’t let yourself be a people pleaser
- Take regular social media breaks
- Plan a get together in your home for your closest friends/family
- Go out to coffee or lunch with your best friend regularly
- Create personal boundaries for your relationships
- Call a high school friend
- Always take time to laugh
4. INTELLECTUAL SELF-CARE // Intellectual self-care is all about participating in activities that help sharpen your mind, deepen your thinking, and grow your knowledge in many areas. Intellectual self-care is importan, because you don’t ever want to become stagnant in your knowledge or thinking. Plus, it can actually be really fun to focus on.’
Intellectual Self-Care Practices & Thought-Starters…
- Watch documentaries
- Read new books
- Research topics that are interesting to you
- Solve some puzzles or games, like brain-teasers
- Begin a new hobby or two
- Stay informed – read the newspaper and other news outlets
- Participate in creative activities
- Explore creative writing
- Participate in volunteer work
[bctt tweet=”The 5 Areas Of Self-Care You NEED To Be Focusing On” username=”SummerTelban”]
5. SPIRITUAL SELF-CARE // Spiritual self-care can mean different things for different people. For some (myself included), it can include praying, diving into the scriptures, and really honing in on being more close with the Lord. For others, it can simply mean spending more time in nature. Whatever spiritual self-care might be for you, it’s all about encouraging you to get on a deeper, more personal level of understanding, amongst other things.
Spiritual Self-Care Practices & Thought-Starters…
- Praying more fervently
- Set a daily devotional time
- Join a small group Bible study
- Explore nature more
- Try out yoga (also ties in with physical self-care)
- Spend alone time with yourself
[bctt tweet=”Want to hone in on self-care more this year? Grab this FREE printable activity sheet to help you!” username=”SummerTelban”]
REMEMBER: Grab your FREE printable activity sheet that’ll help you hone in and brainstorm new ideas for each dimension of self-care.
Have you made self-care a priority in your life? Which dimension of self-care do you have to tend to more right now? Let’s chat!
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