8 Key Areas of Self-Care
Physical
Every day, your body works hard to get where you need to be and do what you want.
When you focus on your body, you can find peace by simply being.
Taking care of your body raises your mood, and your confidence grows as you feel a sense of accomplishment.
Physical self-care activities
Go for a 20-minute walk, drink enough water, or eat a delicious, nutritious meal.
Emotional
Feelings are always valid, and you deserve to exist in this world.
You must take great care of your emotional self, as it will bring you peace.
What you feel right now, whether anger, sadness, or joy, is ok to feel this way.
How you choose to process and deal with your emotions is essential.
Emotional self-care activities
Keep a journal, unburden your emotions to a friend, or visit a counsellor.
Spiritual
It's easy to get caught up in life and focus on societal worries.
Try to connect with yourself and nature to bring balance to your life.
Spiritual self-care activities
Go for a walk or sit outside, looking up into the sky.
Enjoy a deep breath of fresh air and be. Feel the warmth from the sun shining on your skin.
Find peace of mind through meditation.
Inspirational
Absorbing positivity from inspiration helps you project positivity.
Like your body, your mind works hard to help you progress in life.
Nurture your mind by engaging in stimulating activities.
Inspirational self-care activities
Inspiration can be found where you least expect it.
Take inspiration from someone you know who has thrived despite adversity.
Find inspiration in a great book, the world around you, and the people you connect with.
Intellectual
Like your body, your mind works hard to help you progress in life.
Nurture your mind by engaging in stimulating activities. The more you know, the more you will learn about yourself.
Intellectual self-care activities
Open your mind and learn about different perspectives and viewpoints to create deeper connections with others. Learn a new language, solve a puzzle, take a course online, watch a documentary, listen to an informative podcast, and engage with people from diverse cultures and backgrounds.
Social
Nurturing relationships with friends & family are the bonds that bring meaning to your life. Socialising and connecting with others provides an opportunity to give and receive love and support.
Social self-care activities
Join a club, set up a family what's app group, and set monthly catch up with friends.
Visual
Aesthetics cultivates a special kind of calmness.
Creating or viewing something you find visually appealing creates a feeling of harmony and relaxation.
Visual self-care activities
Declutter, open a window to let in light and fresh air, add houseplants to a living space, light a scented candle, get dressed up for no reason, visit an art gallery or museum, and create a sanctuary space in your home.
Financial
Money does not equal happiness, but a better understanding of our finances can help us feel in control. Financial freedom can reduce stress levels as well.
Financial self-care activities
Create a monthly budget, track expenses, cut out unnecessary spending, plan to use money more wisely, save up with a goal in mind or pay off some debt.
Key areas for self-care in your 'new' life - Independent.ie