Are you always helping others and forgetting about you? Are you eating badly and forgetting to nourish your body? Are you in a relationship that is draining your and not supporting you? Is your body aching or hurting and you are ignoring it? If you can answer YES to any of these questions, this is a time to take better care of yourself. Self-care encompasses many things. This could be health, food, relationship, pampering, time for self, and over all care of self. We put our self on the back burner and continue to forge ahead. The issue here is that the body breaks down and then you start to become sick. Taking care of self is a preventative way to having a good overall care of one’s body. Here are some great reminders to look at for overall self-care.

  1. Food and Drinks- When we are not taking care of ourselves, we tend to consume the wrong foods or drinks. Eating fast food, sugars, carbs etc. are easy ways to just get something quick to eat. Drinking sodas, energy drinks or coffee, as a pick me up to just get by. Remembering eating and drinking are the fuel to your body and overall health.
  2. Body Aching- When your body is aching, it is telling you that something is wrong. It’s a sign to work on you and fix what is going on in your life. Many times, we have an ache or pain that is related to stress. Other times, it might be aching because you are not exercising, and it needs to be stretched or needs a massage. Whatever the ache is, pay attention as self-care is needed.
  3. Relationships- Staying in an unhealthy relationship is taxing on one’s overall health. Many times, people feel that they don’t want to be alone, don’t want to hurt another person by leaving or just don’t want to make a change. However, understanding that by walking away can provide freedom, less stress and more love toward one’s self and over all care.
  4. Depressed- Some people cannot get out of bed due to depression. This can be caused by a loss of a loved one, mental health or not sure what the next step is. Understanding by getting up and taking a shower and starting to live life again, can help with the self-care that is needed at that time.
  5. Taking Care of Others- Some people are always putting others before themselves. This becomes an issue because you are not taking care of YOU. Remember you are just as important as others. If you are not taking care of you, you can’t assist others.
  6. Pampering- Taking time for oneself is vital for one’s self-care. This could be a hike, bubble bath or massage. Whatever that is to you, enjoy the small things that pampering does give, as it gives back and refills YOU.

Lastly, self-care is very important in everyone’s lives. If you are not taking care of YOU, then you will start to break down and become sick. Listen to your body, know when you need to do stuff for you, and change your behaviors or patterns. Remember these things all add up and they become taxing on you! Having self-care is just as important as eating something daily, as it fills YOU up!