It is when we acknowledge our purpose that we learn how to care for ourselves as well.
What is self-care?
Self-care is acknowledging that we are unique. We all have different stressors and coping strategies. For instance, preparing meals may be relaxing for some but stressful for others. Those who find this task a challenge may cope differently. Some would seek guidance from a relative or a friend, a cook book, or an online recipe while some would prefer to order and have meals delivered. Another example is dealing with challenging tasks. Different people have different interests, skill set, and threshold for various tasks. We all cope differently. Some would prefer to wind down by watching movies, listening to music, or creating art. Others prefer to sleep while others would rather exercise. Remember, each of us is one of a kind.
Self-care is much more than “taking small breaks” away from the current task. It is not just leaving our desks for 30 mins so we can get our minds off our current tasks.
Self-care is making time for various activities that make us flourish. Giving ourselves the chance to enjoy our hobbies make us grow as well.
Self-care is expanding our horizons. Our openness to learn through our own experiences and others’ stories broadens our knowledge on various things.
Self-care is setting boundaries. To give time for all activities, it is necessary of us to set boundaries be it in the form of setting time limits, discussing task assignments with a team, or moving to another workspace at home when shifting to a different task. This way, we would be able to focus on the current task, instead of completing multiple tasks half baked. Focus is key.
Self-care is being mindful. Being mindful of our surroundings is quite similar with how mindful we can be of ourselves as part of self-care. Mindfulness comes with gratitude. Being mindful at all times means being grateful for everything around us, everyone who became part of who we are at the moment, everyday of our lives. We ground ourselves with the now so we could live it to the fullest.
Self-care is recognizing priorities. Recognizing priorities allows us to plan ahead and make way for them to be accomplished whole heartedly. To be more specific, here are some tips:
First, it would be helpful to list down and define tasks. What are your things to do? Is it urgent? Can it be deferred? Which must be done first, second, third, etc.? Which ones can I do by myself? How about those that need coordination with other people?
Second, plan ahead but remember to be flexible. There would be times that how we plan things don’t pan out as we envisioned them and that is okay. Life surprises us every now and then. A helpful thought would be: today will surprise me with new opportunities.
Third, be consistent. Do not get tired of repetition because repetition works. Practice may not make one perfect but practice makes progress.
Fourth, remember to give affirmations. Be glad to give and receive affirmations. Click on this link to access and download some printable affirmations.
Fifth, invest on personal development. This is one of the best investments one could make. It is very important to learn how we conduct ourselves in the world. While this is definitely not a one size fits all thing, since everyone is one of a kind, it is more important to reflect and know ourselves better. In the long run,
what matters is how we are able to humbly celebrate victories and enthusiastically cope with the challenges that life would bring.
Remember, self-care is love. It is about having love within us that we could share as we support one another in all our endeavors.
Listen to Modern Manang’s Sail Off Without A Map with You.
As the song conveys, we will be fine as long as we have each other.
Self-care is communicating concerns. As the saying goes: no one is an island. We are born to be part of a community and we have various social roles to happily fulfill. It would help to communicate our concerns to people we trust— they may be family members (parents, siblings), a friend, or a therapist.
At Happy Plays: A Place for Therapeutic Plays, we believe that therapy is for everyone who strives for personal development. Just a quick analogy: grooming is something done regularly. Appointments for these things are made routinely because they are deemed important to look and feel good, and of course hygienic. The same way, therapy can be looked at something that helps us feel good about ourselves and the world which would eventually result to us fulfilling our valuable roles in our respective communities in the best way possible.
We all have a purpose in this world. We need to take good care of ourselves so we could serve others to the best of our abilities. Each of us is one of a kind and our presence in society (from the family to the greater community) is valuable. Despite life’s challenges, think about how a new day could surprise us with new opportunities. As we grow and develop, it is beneficial to be reminded that it is okay to make mistakes and that practice makes progress. With all those in mind, let us be grateful for everything and everyone, everyday.
We wish you all the best in your journey towards reaching your dreams and becoming your best selves. 😊
