The Benefits of Daily Self-Care

Often, we mistakenly think that “self-care” is the same thing as being “selfish.”  Nothing could not be further from the truth.  It is only when we engage in daily self-care that we can be happy and healthy.  And it is then that we are in a physical, mental and emotional position to take care of others. 

Realize that you can’t joyfully serve others if your own needs are not being met.  Daily self-care allows you to have a happy disposition.  It allows you to be your most creative.  And it allows you to be your most energized.

But self-care doesn’t just happen.  There are plenty of distractions in life that keep us from taking proper care of ourselves.  Other folks gladly will take up our time with their needs and desires.  And then, unfortunately, our own self-care falls by the wayside.  That is why it is critical to incorporate self-care into your lifestyle.  It needs to be a part of your everyday life, like brushing your teeth or eating breakfast. 

Below are some ways to incorporate self-care into your daily routine.  Make caring for yourself a priority so that you can be a happier person, and so that you are better able to care for those who matter most to you.

Care for Your Body Each Day with Exercise

Admittedly, it takes motivation to properly care for your body each day by getting a proper amount of exercise.  After all, exercise is work!  But if you don’t exercise, your self-esteem will deteriorate because you won’t be happy with your appearance.  Worse yet, you will be more prone to illness and injuries.

I don’t particularly like to exercise.  I would rather sip a cup of tea and read a book.  But I like when my clothes fit comfortably.  And I like feeling agile and strong.  So those things motivate me to make exercise part of my daily routine. 

The key is to keep your exercise routine simple.  For me, that means doing a yoga routine every morning, and then walking my dog every afternoon.

Moreover, there are lots of non-traditional ways that you can incorporate exercise into your daily life.  If you mow your own lawn, and do your own gardening and housework, you will get a workout.  And you’ll save some pennies!  The key is to get some form of exercise every single day.

Daily Self-Care Involves Eating Healthy Foods

Eating healthy foods is another way that we can care for our bodies each day.  Eating healthy foods can be challenging because so many unhealthy foods are really tasty!  There is a reason why fast food is popular – some of it tastes very good.  But fast food isn’t good for you. 

What I’ve found is that the only way to develop long term healthy eating habits is to learn how to cook.  Realize that cooking isn’t rocket science.  To be a good cook, you simply have to buy good quality ingredients, and be able to follow the directions of a recipe.  People like to make cooking sound complicated, but there really isn’t much more to it. 

If you want to learn how to cook, there are terrific recipes all over the Internet.  One terrific website for beginning cooks is Allrecipes.  Not only are their recipes reviewed by their readers, but often the recipes often include a video showing you how to prepare the dish.

Once you learn to cook well, you will find that your quality of your diet will improve.  You naturally will eat healthier meals, and they will be much more flavorful than a Big Mac.  I promise.

Daily Self-Care Includes Caring for Your Mental Health

When we think about self-care, we often fail to consider how to best care for our mental health.  Admittedly, some mental health issues require professional treatment and medication.  However, typically, we don’t need that level of intervention.  Instead, we simply need to pay attention to our mental health, in the same way that we pay attention to our physical health.

The challenge is that our mental health issues aren’t as readily identifiable as our physical health issues.  It usually is clear when we have a physical health issue.  For instance, when we are physically unhealthy, we may have an illness, like the flu.  Or our bodies may show that we are unhealthy because we are overweight.  But mental health issues aren’t so obvious.

Some tell-tale signs of mental health issues may be the need to drink alcohol on a daily basis, or to sleep excessively.  Regularly flying off the handle and yelling at people is another sign of a mental health issue.  If you find that your behavior is leading your friends and family to keep their distance from you, you need to consider whether you have a mental health issue.

To take care of our mental health, we need to care for our minds in the same way that we care for our bodies.  And that means “feeding” our minds with healthy “food.”  For instance, you want to be vigilant about what you read on the Internet and what you watch on television.  There is a lot of negative nonsense on the Internet, and there is a lot of violent garbage on television.  In order to keep your mind healthy, forgo viewing that kind of stuff. 

Instead, fill your mind with positive thoughts.  I find that it makes a huge difference to my disposition when I read books by people who are encouragers.  My daughter recently gave me a book called “The Book of Joy,” by the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.  It is a book about how to live a joyful life.  Much of the book is about being kinder and more compassionate.  When I read it, I feel like I’ve given my brain good “food” for thought!

So, engage in daily self-care by feeding your mind with good thoughts each day.  Doing so is the best way to keep yourself mentally healthy.

Take Time to Care for Your Emotional Health

Stress, fear, worry and anger are negative emotions that sap our energy.  They also can cause us to be distracted and irritable.  So, part of self-care is to take care of your emotional health by limiting those kinds of negative emotions.  

One way to limit negative emotions is to have an attitude of gratitude.  When it comes to having a good attitude, it helps to think about the fact that there is someone out there who would love to have your life.  For instance, you may not like everything about your spouse. But trust me, there is someone out there who will gladly take him or her off your hands.  If you don’t like your house or your car, I can assure you that there is someone in a very poor country who would consider your house to be a palace and your car to be the ultimate luxury. 

Having a good attitude is all about appreciation.  Appreciating and making the most of what you have will make you happier with your life.  So, if you are married, focus on your spouse’s good qualities.  If you have belongings, like a home or a car, take good care of them.  If you do so, they will look beautiful and will serve you well.  By focusing on what you have, rather than what you don’t have, you can eliminate the negative emotions of frustration and irritation.  And by appreciating your life as it is, you’ll end up being content and happy.

Self-Care Sometimes Involves Changing Our Circumstances

All that being said, there are times in life when we have to change our circumstances in order to take care of our emotional health.  For example, sometimes we have to eliminate certain people from our lives in order to be at peace.  

I have found that some people are just angry and unhappy.  That is who they are.  No matter how nice you are to them, they will not change. 

If you have people like that in your life, there is nothing wrong with limiting the time that you spend with them.  Or you can end your relationships with them altogether.  Realize that you are under no obligation to deal with unpleasant people, even if you are related to them.  Your emotional health is more important than any relationship.

Sometimes changing our circumstances may mean leaving a job which is too stressful.  Sometimes it may involve moving to some place that is more serene.  Don’t be afraid of change!  I lived in New York City for a number of years, and I never wanted to leave.  But I ended up moving to a more rural part of the country, which I found to be very beautiful and peaceful.  Ultimately, I was glad to give up the excitement of city living for a quieter lifestyle, which was far less stressful and better for my emotional health. 

This week, consider ways that you can make self-care part of your daily routine.  You deserve to be healthy and content.  So, make your self-care a priority each day.  You will be happier for it. (To read more about self-care strategies, click here.)