Licensed therapist here with some self care tips and tricks for your everyday life. In my practice, I see lots of people who want to build and enhance their self care. I love going through this journey with them and I, myself, have learned a few things along the way.
Focus On Your Own Self Care
The top issue that I come across is when my clients feel pressured to do a certain type or amount of self care based on what other people have lead them to believe. I, mean, I get it because I low key do this too. Its easy to get caught up in all of the self care shoulds out there without even questioning if that is what we really need. One of my most important self care tips is to make sure that you’re focusing only on yourself.
The purpose of self care is to take care of yourself. You, yourself, and You. That’s it. Because we are all completely unique beings, it is impossible to have the exact same specific needs as someone else. While there may be others out there who are similar to us, we have to make sure that we are only taking in what is helpful. I encourage you to find inspiration in others, that’s a smart approach. But, here’s a self care tip. Blindingly practicing some act of self care because someone told you to may not always turn out to be what’s best for you.
Don’t Overthink It
Of all of the self care tips I can think of, overthinking comes to mind. It is so easy to do this. All of the time I hear things like, “Is this self care?” “What is self care?” “Am I doing enough self care?” “Why can’t I just do some self care?” As if self care is one very specific thing yet no one knows exactly what that thing is.
Here’s a self care tip. In reality, self care is a concept. It’s simply defined as the act of taking care of yourself. That can mean many different things, It doesn’t have to be so difficult. It’s simply paying attention to what you need to do to take care of yourself and taking whatever reasonable measures make sense in the moment. That’s it.
Don’t Beat Yourself Up For Not Practicing Enough Self Care
Please hear me out on this self care tip. Beating yourself up doesn’t do anything good for you. As a matter of fact, it’s quite the opposite. When you beat yourself up you are just increasing the negativity and giving yourself something else to be upset with yourself about. And then, what happens? You beat yourself up for beating yourself up. And then? You get the point, the cycle continues.
When you beat yourself up for not doing enough self care this just reinforces the belief you can’t take care of yourself. In actuality, you take care of yourself everyday. Maybe you still have some room to grow, but focusing only on the negative will make it way harder to move forward in your self care.
Say It Out Loud
One of the best self care tips I can offer is to encourage you to say it outloud. “This is self care.” Anytime you do anything to take care of yourself, start to give yourself credit. Saying this out loud will help you be more alert to and mindful of your self care and it will also train your brain to see the little acts of self care in life. Trust me, your brain will thank you.
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