Daily Dose of Self-Care & Self-Love

We often think of others before we think of ourselves, whether it be our parents, children, significant others, or friends. Self-care and self-love are often misunderstood as being selfish and unnecessarily self-indulgent. However, in order to take care of others to the best of your abilities, it is imperative to take care of your mental, emotional, and physical self first. Self-care and self-love are helpful tools for coping with the everyday stressors of life and can improve your well-being. 

What is Self-Care? 

According to the World Health Organization, self-care is “the ability of individuals, families, and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and to cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a healthcare provider.” Self-care is a broad concept that includes but is not limited to hygiene, nutrition, and seeking medical care. Consistently practicing self-care promotes empowerment, self-reliance, a stronger immune system, reduced stress, and increased productivity. 

Ways to Practice Self-Care:

Self-care can be practiced in different forms. One form of self-care may not benefit everyone. People will adopt different self-care practices, and these routines may change over time.

Creating a self-care routine can be challenging to follow, but start with smaller goals first. With time, gradually add more self-care habits into your daily routine. However, don’t forget to pause and reflect on any positive changes.  

Some common examples of self-care are as follows: 

Physical Self-Care

• Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule 
• Making time to exercise 
• Eating a healthy diet
• Eating 3 meals a day 
• Spending time in the sun
• Connecting with nature 
• Drinking enough water
• Taking vitamin supplements 
• Taking a relaxing bath 
• Getting a massage 
• Scheduling doctor appointments 
• Studying for quizzes and tests 

Emotional Self-Care

• Repeating positive affirmations 
• Setting boundaries and saying “no” more often 
• Performing acts of kindness 
• Resting and reflecting
• Expressing gratitude
• Meditating 
• Journalling 
• Unplugging from social media 
• Nurturing passions and hobbies
• Treating failures as attempts for improvement 

Self-Love Journal Prompts

1. What makes me smile?
2. What is one of my happiest memories?
3. What makes me feel peaceful?
4. What is one thing I do very well?
5. What do I need to forgive myself for?
6. What is my current self-care routine, and how can I improve it?
7. What is my self-love language?
8. What are 5 self-love affirmations that I can repeat to myself everyday?
9. What is my biggest achievement?
10. How can I create more time for myself?
11. How have I grown as a person over the past month and year?
12. What are 5 things I am passionate about? How can I pursue them further?

Consistency in self-love and self-care requires self-accountability. It is very easy and tempting to make excuses under the disguise of self-care. For example, harmful justifications include “I am so stressed. I am going to buy a new purse, even though I should save money” or “I am going to skip my workout today because I do not feel like exercising.” Taking the easy route while being stressed or tired can seem like self-love, but it is certainly depowering yourself. The temporary happiness wears off in a matter of hours or a few days. It is important to do what you need for your mental and physical well-being instead of what you want to do. Self-love should encourage growing, learning, and achieving in order to be the best version of yourself.

https://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/self-care-interventions/definitions/en/