The Keys to Self-Care

There is nothing more beautiful than someone who has discovered their own worth.

This quote is beautifully simple and true. But simple and true doesn’t equal easy.

Even those of us who have embraced the “I am Enough” movement struggle. The struggle is not about the truth of our worth. One of the best parts of middle age is that we know that we are worthy: worthy regardless of weight, age, social class, marital status or followers. We have a strong sense of who we are at our best and the parts of ourselves that need us to be our own best friends.

The struggle isn’t in the belief that we are enough. Our struggle is in our actions; our worthiness gets lost in the hustle of our everyday lives. In order to be the best version of ourselves we have to make ourselves a priority.

Self care is not selfish. Self care is wellness. In order to be healthy – mind, body and soul we have to be aware of what elements make us whole.

Physical

Taking care of our physical self means being in tune to our bodies. This Is especially important as we blossom into middle age because our bodies are less forgiving of bad habits. Loving ourselves means giving our bodies the best fuel, rest and play possible. Taking care of our physical selves also means taking care of our safety and security. Our homes and finances are an extension of our physical self care. Ways to take care of our physical selves include, sleeping, exercising, having a healthy sex life and keeping regular doctors appointments.

Mental

How would you rate your mental health? Even if you don’t suffer from depression or anxiety, I bet that for most of us there is room for improvement. Self discovery and reflection can be in the form of meditation, journaling or therapy. But don’t underestimate the power of gardening or a walk in the woods for its benefits to mental health.

Emotional

Emotional self care is how we feel about ourselves and the world around us. Children are great at expressing their emotions. They laugh, cry and love without insecurities. As adults we have learned that healthy emotions require responsibility. The trick to emotional self care is honouring the emotions of our inner child while being respectful of how we act out our emotions. Flirting, forgiving, laughing, crying are all ways of expressing emotions. Cuddling a pet, watching a comedy or picking out the perfect present for ourselves are ways to practice emotional self care.

Personal

Personal self care refers to how we connect with ourselves and with others. It’s hard (if not almost impossible) to have positive relationships if you don’t have one with yourself. Personal self care means learning who you are as well as exploring and knowing what you value. It means being open and vulnerable but having an ability to put boundaries in place. Once you know yourself and what you value it makes the connections crystal clear. You begin to only accept respect from yourself and from others. Treating ourselves to a girls night out, a date night with our partners or enjoying our own company during a solo lunch are all ways to take care of our personal and interpersonal relationships.

Spiritual

Spiritual self care is about our connection to a greater power. This greater power has many different names, and is practiced by as many different religions. Regardless of our unique spiritual beliefs, nurturing our higher selves is an essential component in worthiness. Seeing ourselves as worthy as the trees, oceans and air is incredibly empowering. Healthy spiritual self care brings peace and harmony to the soul. Praying, meditating in a candle lit bubble bath, or laying on the grass and gazing at the shape of the clouds are all ways to take care of our spiritual selves.

At midlife we have accomplished so much. Our tribes are rich. We easily cheer for and celebrate our family and friends. We have the maturity and wisdom to know we are worthy. Knowing the keys to self care is essential to wholistic wellness.

What ways do you show yourself self care? Do you put your self care into your planner? Would you say that there are other aspects of self care that I left of the list. I would love to hear what you think. Comment below.

Xo

Trish