Self Care

Time and time again, you may have been told, “you’ve got to take care of yourself.”  Your answer is probably usually the same as mine, “I know, I know.”  You probably do know, but if you are not doing it, why not?  Sometimes it takes a major life event to make us realize what everyone is saying is true – you can’t be the best – Mom, boss, co-worker, friend, spouse (fill in the blank) – if you don’t take care of yourself. 

You have to be balanced in all aspects of wellness – physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.  I often find myself targeting one of these areas only, forgetting about the rest of the picture.  I recently discovered a nice resource that gave some examples of how you can work toward this balance with examples of how to nurture yourself in each area.  I’ve listed some of my favorites here – go to The Innerwords Messenger  to see the full list.

Nurturing Actions

Physical:

• Take a walk


• Soak in a hot bath


• Give a hug, or ask for one 

Emotional:

• Take a deep breath


• Talk on the phone to a friend/relative


• Give a hug, or ask for one

 Mental:

• Write a to-do list


• Keep a journal


• Listen to music

 Spiritual:

• Pray


• Do something of service for another individual


• Practice unconditional love and practice