What is self-care and why is it important?
Self-care means taking care of oneself by engaging in activities that promote wellness. These areas of wellness include emotional, physical, mental, social, spiritual, practical, and professional well-being. It is crucial that you address each of these areas to better cope with various stressors and find balance in your life.
Here are some ideas on how to practice self-care in each of the areas.
- Emotional self-care: How connected are you with your emotions? Activities that can help you better process them can be journaling, therapy, creating art, playing an instrument, meditation, and practicing gratitude.
- Physical self-care: How are you taking care of your physical functioning? Some of the activities that can promote physical well-being include taking a walk, having eight hours of sleep daily, staying hydrated, getting a massage, or taking a bath.
- Mental self-care: How do you stimulate your mind and intellect? Some activities to promote mental well-being are listening to a podcast, trying a new hobby, reading a book, doing a puzzle, or going to the museum.
- Social self-care: How are you nurturing the relationships others? Activities that can promote social well-being can be regular phone call with loved ones, game night with friends, or going on a date with your significant other.
- Spiritual self-care: How are you nurturing your spirit and soul? Activities that can promote spiritual well-being include spending time in nature, meditation, yoga, going to a place of worship, or volunteering for a cause.
- Practical self-care: How are you fulfilling the core aspects of your life and reduce stress? Some activities that can promote practical well-being include creating a budget, cleaning your inbox, or organizing your closet/desk.
- Professional self-care: How do you stay balanced and fulfilled in your career? Some ideas include spending time with co-workers, taking a lunch break, or taking professional development courses to further your career path.
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About Thuy Nelson, Resident in Counseling:
Thuy is a Resident in Counseling at Healthy Minds Therapy, PLLC. She graduated with high honors from Liberty University with a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Thuy strives to meet her clients where they are at and creates a safe space that encourages self-discovery and self-acceptance.
Thuy approaches her clients and their concerns from multicultural and empathetic perspectives and uses a variety of evidence-based therapeutic interventions, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Solution-Focused Therapy, Emotion-Focused Therapy, and the Gottman Method. Thuy focuses on the awareness of one’s thoughts, feelings, behaviors and how these impact the person’s experiences. To learn more about Thuy, visit here.
