Are you at the top of your priority list? You should be! However, we’re all guilty of neglecting our personal needs. If we do not take time for self-care, how can we expect to give 100% to our relationships and daily tasks?
To be our best selves, we can begin to practice self-care on a daily basis.
Self-care is what we do intentionally to take care of our physical, mental, and emotional health. It’s not selfish. It’s a necessary practice to refuel our minds and bodies – it’s something we do to take care of ourselves.
One great way to practice self-care is through mindfulness, or the intentional practice of being aware of your thoughts, feelings, and actions.
Mindfulness also helps you manage your emotions and reduce your anxiety so that you don’t explode into an emotional ball of tears. (Or maybe that’s just me that does that!)
Here Are 6 Essential Self-Care Practices to Help Reduce Your Anxiety
Self-care can help you reduce anxiety, relieve stress, and improve your mood. Also, like mindfulness, self-care is about identifying what you need and taking steps to reach those needs.
Journaling is a fantastic self-care practice. Writing down your thoughts and feelings is a coping skill that can help you release stress, anxiety, and tension. It can also increase your self- and emotional regulation, as well as a way to express joy and happiness.
Writing things down in general is a simple self-care act that we can do every day to keep our minds free and clear, so we can be more intentional and attentive to other tasks.
2. Create a “No List”
Make a list of things you want to take out of your life, things you want to stop doing, or things you never liked doing in the first place. Do you spend every evening checking work emails? Put it on your “No List” and save those emails for work time only.
Creating a “No List” will help you become more self-aware and give you the opportunity to restructure your time so you can spend more time doing the things you love.
3. Clean Up
This may seem like a chore . . . and technically it is. But often a messy or cluttered area is a sign of a cluttered mind. There is truth to the age-old saying “If you want to have a good day, make your bed.”
When we start with, and are surrounded by, a clean, uncluttered environment, we set the tone for our thoughts, mood, level of productivity, and even sense of accomplishment.
Ready to go full declutter? Read this.
Take the time to read something you love. Not something for work. A book, magazine, or audio book that you just want to get lost in. Put yourself in the shoes of your favorite character, a character you don’t like so much, or even the author!
This can help you increase your perspective skills, leading to improved empathy and understanding, self-compassion, and moral development. Shifting your perspective can even help you tackle a challenging problem you might have. Sometimes you’ve got to think outside the box before you can fix what’s inside the box!
Need reading ideas? Check out these 5 Books to Kickstart Your Mindful Reading!
5. Practice Yoga
While yoga provides us with many benefits, becoming more intentional and persistent in our lives is one of my favorite ones. When we are more intentional and persistent, we know what we want and go for it. We leave fears of failure behind, and focus only on success and happiness.
Yoga is also a great way to practice mindfulness. You can, of course, practice mindfulness without practicing the physical postures of yoga. But, if you are practicing yoga asana in it’s true form, you cannot practice without mindfulness.
So, when it comes to self-care, don’t give up on mastering that handstand. The dedication will give you the determination you need to succeed in all aspects of your life.
Practice yoga online with us on YA Classes by YogiApproved!
6. Get Happy!
Everyone has those days where they are stuck in a bummed out mood. Everything irritates you and you just want to lie in bed all day. Practicing self-care does not mean that you will never again experience these days, but it does work to reduce them. Be intentional about your happiness and make it a priority.
For example, when you wake up, immediately smile and think of 1-3 things that make you happy. Setting this intention at the beginning of your day sets the tone for the rest of the day and week!
Need more ideas to practice happiness? Check out this list of 20 Ways to Be Happy Everyday!
It’s Time For a Regular Self-Care Practice
Self-care is a conscious practice that helps us to improve our physical, emotional, and mental health. You must be intentional about it, and give the practice the time it needs to become a routine.
Start small, and take your time developing your self-care routine.
The rhythm will come to you, and you can continue to practice self-care with these 6 practices, or in a variety of other ways.