The Self-Care Spectrum
Self-care encompasses a broad spectrum of activities and behaviors that lead to improved health and quality of life. According to a piece published by the American Psychological Association, good nutrition, regular exercise, adequate sleep and job satisfaction are all markers for self-care that lead to reduced anxiety, depression and illness. Add recreation, meditation, daydreaming and personal grooming to the list and you have the recipe for creating your best self. Yet mindless busy-ness, laziness and lack of self-discipline seem to be the orders of the day.
Who Has Time?
Your daily lifestyle is made up of a sequence of habitual behaviors that you repeat day after day. While some of those behaviors may vary depending on the day of the week, most lifestyle behaviors fall into a predictable pattern. As humans, we take comfort in the safety and monotony of routine. Adapting more favorable lifestyle habits takes time, effort and determination. Time in particular is a limited commodity for all of us. In order to make room for new behaviors, you may have to let go of old habits and routines that gobble up precious hours without enhancing your quality of life.
The Beauty of Better
Making the time and putting forth the effort to care for yourself can lead to a heightened sense of self-worth and a greater sense of independence. Just as care for others imparts love and respect to its recipients, caring for yourself leads to self-love and a heightened awareness of your own value. This in turn leads to a trust in your own ability to face and conquer the obstacles that are an inevitable part of life. Caring for yourself builds strength and confidence, and liberates your loved ones from the burden of caring for you.
"I am who I am today because of the choices I made yesterday." Eleanor Roosevelt
The Bounty of Best
Time and effort are ingredients for a better you. To reap a more bounteous harvest and become the best version of yourself, you must add discipline to the mix. Self discipline is the practice of choosing what you want most over what you want now. As Eleanor Roosevelt wisely observed, “I am who I am today because of the choices I made yesterday.” Making difficult choices all day, every day, is key to becoming your personal best. Turning off the television, logging off social media, disentangling yourself from meaningless commitments and toxic relationships, and allowing others to take responsibility for their own lives, are just some small choices you can make today to become your best self tomorrow.
References and Credits
American Psychological Association: Self-Care for Women: Now, Not Later
*Images courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net.
