What Does Self-Care Mean To You?

Published
10/26/2023

Self-care is important. You have likely heard that plenty of times, but what does it really mean? Does it mean spoiling ourselves and making ourselves feel good, or could it mean something a little deeper, something that helps us really love ourselves and heal from the pains we’ve been carrying? Here, we’re going to look at the different kinds of self-care, and why each of them can be greatly important if we want to live our best lives.

 

Physical self-care

For some people, self-care is quite as basic as being good to yourself, making yourself feel luxurious, and indulging in some things you normally don’t get to. While it might sound frivolous, it has real worth in terms of showing ourselves that we are worth taking the time to feel good. It’s an expression of love for the self, a self-affirmation that can be important for maintaining our self-esteem and confidence. Plus, things that feel good are typically good for your mental health. If you don’t overdo it, of course.

 

Emotional self-care

Physical self-care, such as treating yourself, can very much benefit your emotional state as well, but this category tends to refer to those practices that are designed to improve your emotional state and help bring balance, above all else. The most popular method of this, at the moment, is to practice meditation. Taking the moment to find peace and solace from all of the hectic demands of everyday living, and centering yourself can really help you improve your emotional state and make it a little easier to regulate your emotions throughout the day, too.

 

Mental self-care

Emotional and mental health are very much tied, of course. However, there are certain issues that go beyond meditation. When we’re dealing with issues like depression, anxiety, grief, and trauma, then seeking mental health treatment is a form of self-care. Don’t bottle it up in yourself, don’t try to grin and bear it, allow yourself to admit that you need help, and find yourself someone to talk to. This simple act can be very freeing, not to go into the techniques that you can learn to better manage your mental health after the fact.

 

Social self-care

Self-care isn’t all about the self. Isolation is an increasingly common problem in modern society, since we live such atomized lives, we’re not really as community-driven as we used to be, as a society. As such, you should take time to make sure that you connect to your loved ones. Check your diary and see if you have anything planned socially for this month. It doesn’t need to be a party or a night out, a simple cup of coffee with a friend or family member each week can be just what you need to keep you connected.

 

Self-care doesn’t have to mean one thing or another. However, if reading any of the above made you think “I should probably do that,” then that feeling is worth following. We might all lack a little self-care, but it pays to take the time to identify what we need.