Self-Care is Your Responsibility

How well do you treat yourself? When life gets hectic, self-care may take the back burner but it shouldn’t.

Taking care of your mind and body is your responsibility. Developing and engaging in self-care practices is essential to your emotional, mental and physical well-being. There are countless benefits to incorporating self-care practices into your daily routine such as better health, improved mood and improved productivity. Self-care builds compassion and strengthens our capacity to be better helping professionals for others.

There are many ways to take care of you. Make a commitment to indulge in a little something for yourself.

Here are some simple self-care practices from Tiffany Banks, our Assistant Director of Community Counseling, that you can consider:

• Get physical exercise
• Exercise a gratitude mindset
• Eat nutritious foods
• Create a deliberate habit
• Intentionally reflect on the good
• Connect with a colleague
• Get down and boogie – Dance! Dance! Dance!
• Have a good laugh- Go ahead, laugh out loud!
• Write down a compliment you get
• Explore nature- Take a nature walk and reflect on the beauty around you
• Smile
• Get adequate rest
• Cherish true friends- Connection is healing
• Forgive yourself, forgive others
• Don’t get drawn into negativity
• Play
• Let love in
• Write or draw out your thoughts
• Say affirmations that ground your sense of self and purpose
• Know when to say no
• Exercise a signature strength
• Ask for help
• Get lost in a good novel
• Revisit a favorite thing from your childhood

Go ahead and give your mind, body and soul a little love and attention. Today is a great day to start engaging in intentional self-care practices. Which one will you try first?