Self Care

What is self-care?

One definition from psychologist Raphailia Michael is “any activity that we do deliberately in order to take care of our mental, emotional, and physical health.” Self-care is often neglected because we are so focused on other people or responsibilities. How often do we skip training or eat food that is not the best for us because we are so tired from the demands of life? Self-care does not have to be complicated. Last week I was suffering from a migraine but got a call to go visit a dear friend in the hospital. I had not eaten lunch yet and was faced with a choice. I could go through some fast food drive-thru on my way to the hospital or I could pack something healthy from home to eat on the way. Fortunately, I had some cooked chicken in my refrigerator. I grabbed it to go and ate it on my way to the hospital. I also made sure I was doing my best to drink plenty of water. Sometimes it is the small things that add up to help us to do self-care. Here are some self-care suggestions:

-Exercise!!! It is a proven fact that exercise greatly benefits both physical and emotional health

-Drink plenty of water

-Fuel your body with the proper food

-Get 7-8 hours of sleep a night

-Try relaxation techniques: deep breathing, yoga, meditation

Unfortunately, self-care just doesn’t happen. It takes planning and scheduling, making self-care a priority. Just like the airline instructions to place your air mask on first before assisting others. The more you take care of yourself, the better you will be able to handle life’s demands and care for those who are important to you.

-Coach Erin