5 Categories of Self-care which Promote Balance and Resilience in Life
Research at Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley shows that people who take time for self-care to recharge and restore are more creative, happier, and successful.
Self-care has existed for a long time. Ancient Greeks and Romans saw it as a way to make people more honest citizens who were more likely to care for others.
Plato wrote that we should examine ourselves with great attention. He also said that before we can become valuable members of society we must, “before all else…attend to ourselves.”
If I asked you the question: Do you take care of yourself?
You would likely answer: “Yes, of course!”
But if I asked you: In what ways do you take care of yourself?
Well, that’s where your answer might get a little sketchy.
What is self-care?
Self-care is any activity that we do deliberately, and although it seems like a simple concept, it’s something easy to overlook or put aside over other tasks.
is necessary in order to take care of our mental, emotional, and physical health.
helps to improve mood and reduce anxiety.
is key to a good relationship with ourselves and others.
is something that refills our energy tank rather than emptying it out.
What self-care isn’t?
Knowing what self-care is not might be just as important as knowing what it is and doing it halfway.
It isn’t something we force ourselves to do.
It’s not something we don’t enjoy doing.
It’s not something we can do inconsistently and expect transformational results.
It is not a selfish act.
In a few words, taking some time to restore and recharge is the key to living a more balanced life
Caring for your own well-being is vital for building balance and resilience toward those stressors in life that you can’t eliminate.
When you’ve taken steps to care for your mind, body, and spirit you’ll be better equipped to live your best life.