How To Care For Yourself

Society is approaching you from every angle, telling you what the ideal person is, and how you aren’t them. People search lifetimes for something to make them fulfilled and content with themselves. We’re taught from young ages that happiness and peace come from achievement and progression. While those things may aid us in our pursuit of happiness, life is uncertain, and we encounter problems, failures, and tragedies throughout it. That is daunting, but luckily we have an endless source of fulfillment and positivity within ourselves! It might sound impossible, but focusing your care and attention inward can change your life, and every day afterwards. 

First off, it’s important that we know what to look for.

You can’t fix an engine without knowing how it works, in fact you can’t even do simple upkeep if you’re clueless about how it functions. This is similar to our own mind and body in a sense that we need to take the time to learn about ourselves and what it takes to keep us up and running. What makes us happy? What keeps our body healthy? What causes stress and how do we handle it? All these questions have scientific and proven answers! Although it isn’t enough just to know the reasons, they give us a sort of manual on how to maintain our wellbeing, mental and physical... but that’s no good if you don’t apply it.

Once we know what to look for, turning inwards and taking the time to be mindful of ourselves is the next key to improving life. Our body and mind is constantly relaying us information about how we’re doing, but it’s even easier to ignore when we have a lot on our plate. There are a hundred different things that our body is trying to show us, whether it’s hunger because you skipped breakfast (again), frustration from negative thoughts, a hangover after drinking too hard, or seasonal depression because you haven’t seen the sun in months. All too often we recognize these signals, but then our priorities come into play, and sadly we don’t always put ourselves very high on that totem pole. 

Priorities are important and help us structure our lives so we can accomplish what is most valuable to us.

The problem we run into here is that many aspects of self-care don’t bring harsh consequences for skipping out on them often, so in the short term it may seem like a necessary and justifiable sacrifice to work on something other than yourself. If you decide now that your physical and mental health is a priority, then the gradual changes you can begin to see will grow into an incredible support structure built uniquely for you. It might take some time, and for a while it may have to be the priority, but tending to yourself first will eventually allow you to give more energy to the rest of your life, whether that be a career, relationships, or personal projects. 

So now you’ve got it all lined up - you’re paying attention to your own red flags, attending to your mind and body respectfully. You’ve studied what makes you tick, making a conscious decision to put your wellbeing first. You feel happier, more at peace, more capable of loving and listening, whole and content. Self-care isn’t the only thing worthy of your time though! The rest of your life still calls, and needs to be focused on as well. The demands and stressors haven’t left, but now it all seems manageable. It’s going to take extra effort this time around, caring for yourself and staying responsible is a balancing act, but a life-changing one. Despite the inevitable rough patches, you are your own anchor, support, and safety. Now more than ever, it’s possible to truly be your best self. Inward changes translate to success and progress, allowing one to become inspired and reach their highest potential. Treat yourself as the most beloved person in your life, as you should be.