Self-Care and Love

SELF. This is one of our foundational components here at Hilton Head Health. It stands for:  Stress management, Longevity, Empowerment, Fulfillment.

Think SELF-esteem, SELF-care, SELF-love… and remember that none of these things equate to selfish.  Loving and caring for yourself allows you to better care for and love those around you.  The investment in SELF insures that we are offering our best selves to the world. It means being able to show up for your life in a better way.

Wellcoaches defines self-care as a way of living that incorporates behaviors that enable one to maintain personal health and balance, replenish energy and motivation, and grow as a person.

This is an important and often overlooked component to living a healthy, balanced life. Our culture teaches us that we are successful only if we are always busy and on the move. Those seen as successful are often times the ones you look at and wonder when/if they ever sleep.

“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.”

This is a great quote by businessman Herman Cain, but it can be applied beyond the realm of work and our lives. We will be successful if we have love and positivity around us, and invest in our health. It changes our mood as well as how we react to the world and events in our life. All of this comes down to how we take care of ourselves. Know that you are worth the care. So go ahead and follow the steps below for setting up a self-care plan and set yourself up for success by being at your best.

Creating a self-care plan

The best way to start a self-care plan is to take an inventory of those actions or things we can do to bring peace and harmony to our lives. Take a few minutes to sit down and write out your ideal day. If you could take one full day to yourself to do the things you enjoy doing or know are good for you, what would you do? Make a list. Below you will find an outline of your day. Fill in self-care options for each time.

Some examples of self-care activities include: organizing your space, taking a bath, watching the sunrise/sunset, listening to music, drinking sparkling water, practicing 10 minutes of yoga, quiet time, getting a pedicure, reading a book for pleasure, exercising, journaling, eating a healthy meal, getting a massage, going for a walk or reading the newspaper. This is the fun part, you get to list all the things that you enjoy and build you up.

• Wake up time


• Morning self-care activities


• Breakfast


• Early afternoon self-care activities


• Lunch


• Late afternoon self-care activities


• Dinner


• Evening self-care activities


• Bedtime


• Anything additional *

Keep this list close by your computer, next to your bed or on the fridge. Whenever you have a few moments to yourself or are having a difficult day, turn to this list. Pick one of the activities that you have time for. There are always options; taking just a few moments to put yourself in a better place can have a huge impact on your day!

*Adapted from article by Jenny Sansouci