Written By Jaclyn Corderio (@jac_lynfit)
It is not selfish to love yourself, to take care of yourself and to make your happiness a priority. There is no magic pill or formula to achieve happiness or quality of life. However, there is one proven way to achieve a sense of balance or self-satisfaction and that is the daily practice of self-care. You may notice a resurgence of the concept of self-care on social media. Although self-care seems to be a popular movement, surely it is not new. I use the concept of self-care in all facets of my life. As a nurse with my oncology patients, as a trainer with my fitness clients and in my own personal life. That is because self-care is necessary for our well-being: our physical, mental and emotional health. The benefits of practicing self-care reduces stress, therefore improving overall health. It Improves cognitive function, resulting in the ability to focus and process information more efficiently discarding negative thoughts or thoughts that are non-productive. Furthermore, improved mental clarity, prompting continual self-reflection and without thought you find yourself conducting brief check in throughout the day to remain balanced and positive thinking. It increases energy and stamina, improving quality of sleep, ability to accomplish tasks with ease without running out of gas, all resulting in better performance in and out of the bedroom. Self-care transcends into a positive, happier and better version of you. Your energy becomes infectious and attracts like-minded people resulting in better quality of living. How to Incorporate Self-Care Practice into Your Daily Life Wake up with the intention to invest in you. Develop a morning routine. Set your alarm, commit to do some form of physical exercise. Go for a walk outdoors, indoors, meditate, yoga etc. Moving your body first thing in the morning will release endorphins. Endorphin release aids in alleviating depression, will set a positive tone for the day, reduces stress and anxiety and boots self-esteem. All which will immediately alter your state of mind into positive forward thinking. Set boundaries; turn off your phone, limit your exposure to the News, schedule device free time. Take intermittent breaks throughout your workday. Limit the amount of “yes” responses to others. Say no to requests that interfere with commitments you have made, either to yourself or to others. We have a tendency to people please and overtime we lose our sense of balance by overextending ourselves by trying to accommodate everyone and everything. Make a conscious effort to be kind to yourself. Speak to yourself like you would someone you love. Practice positive feedback. Give yourself recognition for your accomplishments and focus on your attributes not the shortcomings. Cultivate your inner advocate. No one is going to advocate and support yourself better than you will. Schedule a date with yourself, practice solitude. Arrange time do the things you enjoy for 30 minutes a day. To achieve a balanced life, self-care must be a daily practice. Self-care takes a lot of practice, so be patient with yourself. Take note of your successful days and revisit those days to see what made those days successful. Consistency is key, establish a routine include the above practice, because ultimately taking care of yourself not only improves your quality of living but it sets an example for others and our children. Leading to longer, healthier better version of you.