March is Self Care Month

Hi everyone! I hope you all are safe, healthy and doing well! I’m sure lots of you are ready to put away your shovels and start some spring cleaning. We are almost close!!!

March is self care month, as helping professionals, we are always looking for new and fun ways to take care of myself and others. Self care is a positive and uplifting experience to help our bodies, mind and spirits just rest.. or be present…

Sometimes when we feel stressed our bodies go into a battle, either attempting to deal with a problem or run from a problem also known as fight, flight, or freeze. This experience causes a great deal of stress and anxiety in our bodies or mind. Jobs, relationships, and finances can also cause us to lose a sense of ourselves and worry about the future.

Having a self-care routine put into place prior to a stressful event or just a stressful week can be beneficial. Below, I have listed a few ways we can practice self-care.

I specifically liked this list of self-care ideas because it has categories that you can choose from for which type of activity you need. Some of the categories include sensory, pleasure, mental, spiritual, emotional, physical and social. Deciding which type of self care you need can be enjoyable.

Sensory involves being present and really soaking in the world around you. Focusing on imagery like going for a walk and staring at the trees or the sky. Lighting your favorite candles and smelling the aroma. Taking a hot bath and focusing on the relaxing, warm water. The sensory ideas are my favorite because when I feel anxious, I am trapped inside my own thoughts and worries. I forget to feel, taste, listen, see and hear the beautiful things happening around me.

Pleasure

Pleasure involves doing things that are enjoyable and make you feel good. Think about some of your favorite things. They could be certain foods, places, music, movies, drawing or writing. Try to remember what comforts you and what can be a healthy outlet for you to relieve tension and stress. I like to journal because I can place my thoughts and feelings somewhere that is outside of my mind.

Mentality 
Mental activities like reading, cleaning, driving, playing a game, etc. The mental self care activities can help us put our focus and attention on something else. If we are playing a game we most likely want to do well if not win, so we are putting our effort into this and it is distracting us from what we are worried about. I love playing games especially because it involves an interaction with others.

Spirituality 

If you are a spiritual person, attending a religious service, reading a spiritual book, praying and meditating could be beneficial. When I am upset or worried, I like to pray. I pray many times throughout the day, asking for guidance and strength as well as peace, happiness, healthiness and safety for my loved ones, the world and myself.

Emotional

When it comes to our emotions we have to let them in whether they feel good or not. It is important to recognize and accept all emotions and try to process them. This is not easy and many times we need someone to assist with this. Making an appointment with Ms. Ebony here at Peaceful Living Counseling may be something you want to consider. If you are in therapy right now that is something to be proud of. Reaching out for guidance can induce stress however therapy can help you find ways to reduce this stress and cope with future stress.

Physical

Sometimes we become emotionally drained and this is the perfect time to do something physical. Going for a walk, exercising, dancing, stretching, napping, laughing and many more can all relieve mental stress and anxiety. I like to do yoga because it focuses on breathing.

Social

Remember that we are not alone and everyone experiences some level of stress, worry and anxiety. Reaching out to friends, loved ones, therapists, religious people and support groups can all help us deal with the difficult times.