Self Care

By: Cesar Brijandez LMFT

Self-care was a term I first heard while I worked on my bachelor’s degree at the university. I didn’t really pay too close attention to the term. I merely thought is was going on vacation a couple times per year. As I look at the term Self-Care, it encompasses a myriad of activities. The APA defines self-care as providing adequate attention to one’s own physical and psychological wellness. When do we have time for self-care? We may not have too much time, but it is necessary for our overall well-being. We can choose to take charge of our self-care, however it takes work and discipline! It is something we can do daily and it takes place in many forms.

My self-care begins with eating enough meals per day and sleeping enough hours. I also make efforts in engaging in self care through out the day. I go out every morning and add bird seed to the birdfeeder, I love to watch those birds gobble up their food! During the day I take my dog out for a walk in the AM and PM. I recently began drinking ginger tea to improve my immune system. On the days where there are clouds in the sky, I go outside for a few minutes and admire the color and shapes of the clouds.

Here are a few tips to explore areas of self-care:

-go for walk to a near by store instead of walking.

-drink a new type of tea.

-take care of a plant or start a garden.

-start that hobby you thought of but never started.

-tell yourself you are good at your job.

-reach out to a friend and buy them coffee or lunch.

-take 5 to 10 minutes of mindfulness before starting your workday.

For further information on self-care you can google self-care, or buy books that encourage self-care. You can even buy The Self-Care Bible written by Rachel Newcombe. Self-care will be different for all us. Go out there and discover a new form of self-care, you deserve it!