Forms of Self-Care: Nurturing Your Mind, Body, and Soul

Think of self-care as a song that puts you at peace, a suite of behaviors that sustain the whole you. This isn't just a mixed metaphor. It's a straightforward description. There are countless ways of addressing self-care, large and small or spectacularly unusual or humdrum. It can center on you and your body alone, or it can call on others to partner with you towards a goal. Self-care, at its best, transforms the ordinary ordeals of life into something like a ballet, a choreographed swirl of wellbeing that makes life more joyful. Here is a primer of sorts.

The Multifaceted Nature of Self-Care

The importance of self-care is the fabric of your life, composed of threads that all need to be present for you to thrive. Here are several threads that need attending to, followed by ways you can address each concern. Key domain I: Physical and material wellbeing Being able to meet your basic needs of food, shelter and the capabilities that go with them is the first step to self-care. It's therefore important to have a good job, modest savings and be in good health. Having these things means you can take further measures to feel good both physically and mentally. Key domain II: Pleasurable activities What can you do to feel good? This is a vital aspect of self-care, as we devote a large amount of our free time to seeking and engaging in pleasurable activities. Up until now, these efforts coincided with building character, which lent them an uplifting morality. Key domain III: Expressing yourself Do you have resources that allow you to express yourself? Are you a polite listener? Do you ever speak out publicly in support of what you believe in? Or are you reluctant to do any of those things? Voice is an important aspect of self-care and can yield high rewards, though it also comes with challenging circumstances. Key domain IV: Feeling cared for and connected Do you care for others and are you cared for? In other words, do you have a network of loved ones with whom you are connected more directly than through social media? Ultimately, human beings are social creatures who thrive in the company of others.

Physical self-care: Connecting with your body through movement, rest and nourishing food to manage physical health.

Psychological self-care: Doing things with your mind such as reading, puzzles and new learnings.

Emotional Self-Care: Acknowledging and processing your emotions through journaling, meditation, or practicing self-compassion.

Social Self-Care: Stretching towards meaningful relationships and connections with others and loved ones to forge a sense of belonging and intimacy.

Exploring the Depths of Self-Care Forms

Spiritual Self-Care

Treatments that feed the soul – like taking a walk in nature, doing yoga or prayer – can help you cope in times of stress.

Financial Self-Care

Assuming control by planning, saving and paying forward will give you a sense of empowerment to stress less and think less negatively about money.

Recreational Self-Care

Play: engage in activities you enjoy that can ease the mind and bring feelings of relaxation – things like travel, self-care or being in nature.

The Essence of Professional and Practical Self-Care

Professional Self-Care

Taking the time to engage in activities that help you to become a better professional can improve your work-life balance and your emotional well-being.

Practical Self-Care

Cultivating regularity in space organization (eg, putting laundry away as soon as it is dry, making toothbrush and floss easily accessible, placing phone on a kitchen counter before cooking), prefabricating activities (eg, setting out most of your weekly outfits during the weekend, making weekly nutrition/dinner plans) and attending to everyday needs (eg, meal-prepping) can allow you to maintain healthy habits, which in turn will minimize everyday stress.

Conclusion: Embracing the Mosaic of Self-Care

Self-care isn't just a luxury, it's a necessity: most people must follow their intuition, assess their emotional reactions, handle disappointments, and mend fences with their co-workers and families. Going back to that Cadillac commercial, we need to fill ourselves up in order to have some resources available to deal with life's cares and drainer's. Are there complementary pieces of advice you can give to grease the self-care wheels? CFT: Yes. Step back from yourself for a moment and think of the self as a triangle. Start with the cerebral – the mind thinking – then add in the body, and then add soulful pursuits and creative expression. If you put a little bit of regular attention into each one of those areas on a daily basis – five minutes to write, or to practice Tai Chi, or meditation, or just pause and reflect – you'll tend to lift all three easily.