2 Your Health: Self-Care: Why It’s Important to Our Well-Being

Dr. Rose Bricker

What is self-care? We often hear that term throughout our day, but what does it really mean? Self-care can be defined as the process of establishing behaviors to ensure holistic well-being of oneself. It is so many things. Below are some healthy ways to provide self-care. Self-care will improve your physical and mental health. Self care reaches deep into our lives. It’s about our values, interests, hobbies, and how we take care of ourselves by setting boundaries with others. It’s also about nutrition, sleep, exercise, social interactions, and our ability to be grateful for what we have.

How to Provide Self-Care

* Set Boundaries: Say NO! It can be a full sentence. When we manage our time and energy, we just feel better.

* Discover Interests and Hobbies: Find a purpose, it will bring you joy and contentment.

* Define Your Values: When you know what is important to you, your thoughts, decisions, behaviors, and actions promote a sense of peace.

* Make Nutrition Important: Healthy foods are essential and a major part in our physical and mental health.

* Get Quality Sleep: Getting seven to nine hours of sleep allows our brain to repair itself.

* Engage in Exercise: Movement, such as walking, biking, hiking, and weight lifting, releases endorphins, which enhance our mood.

* Make Social Interactions a Priority: Engaging with others releases oxytocin, “the love hormone.” Investing time and effort into healthy relationships makes a huge difference in our emotional well-being. Acts of kindness are also beneficial to our emotional health. Loneliness is at an epidemic level in the U.S. It leads to both emotional and physical challenges.

* Be Grateful: Make a list every day of five things you are grateful for. When you identify and appreciate what you have, it brings joy, meaning, peace, and contentment to our lives.

* Start Asking for and Accepting Help: When we have physical or emotional issues, it’s important to turn to others to help. This can allow the relationship to become deeper and more meaningful.

* Develop a Positive Outlook: You have a choice in how you view the world and situations. Negative thinking can lead to low mood, unhappiness and less joy.

Are you providing self-care for yourself? Would you like to learn more about it and other ways to have more joy, peace, and contentment in your life?

Please call me for a 30-minute complimentary meet and greet appointment at 520-815-6901. My website is: bluelemonhealthandwellness.com I’m located at Blue Lemon Therapy and Coaching, LLC, 10132 N. Oracle Road, Suite 160, Oro Valley, AZ 85704 (in the business park behind the Fairfield Inn in Oro Valley).