Are you stressed?
According to The American Institute of Stress: About 33 percent of people report feeling extreme stress. 77 percent of people experience stress that affects their physical health. 73 percent of people have stress that impacts their mental health.
In these stressful times it is important for all of us to practice “self-care”. The following excerpt is from Perimeter Health Care. You can read the full article:
WHAT IS SELF CARE?
Self-care is a general term that describes everything you do deliberately for your mental, physical, and emotional well-being. As simple as it sounds, many of us pay little attention to self-care. This is why ‘deliberately’ is one of the most important words in the definition.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
Self-care encourages you to maintain a healthy relationship with yourself so that you can transmit the good feelings to others. You cannot give to others what you do not have yourself.
HERE ARE SOME TIPS FOR SELF-CARE TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR WELL-BEING
1. Pay attention to your physical health
Physical health is a core part of self-care. The body and the mind have a unique connection, and it is difficult to be in high spirits when you are not feeling good about your body. Research has shown that regular exercise increases the level of serotonin in our body significantly improving mood and energy.
2. Get enough sleep
Sleep scientists recommend that adults need at least 6-8 hours of sleep every night. Your body needs time to rest and renew.
3. Be a healthy eater
Your diet is a major part of self-care, and it is an aspect you should be wary about. Make a habit out of consuming good foods that build your body.
4.) Identify the things that matter to you.
This may seem easy, but it can be challenging to practice. You need to ask yourself the tough questions to identify the things that matter to you the most.
When the chips are down who do you want to be with?
How do you want to be remembered when you are gone?
How do you want to make a difference in the world?
Is the pursuit of material wealth worth the strained relationships that are left on the path?
Your answers to these questions should determine your approach to living. Spend more time with those you would love to be with and deliberately live your life the way you want to be remembered. Keeping an eye on your priorities will help you make decisions about how you spend your time.
5. Change your mindset / Gratitude
Too often, we focus on the negatives while showing little appreciation for the beauty that is all around us. Show gratitude and appreciation for the little gifts in life. Take the time to be still and meditate more. If you can adopt a gratitude mindset, you are on your way to achieving the highest level of self-care.
6. Learn to say No
Too many times, you say yes to every request to not hurt the feelings of another party. When you do this at the expense of your own peace or health, you are going against the principles of self-care.
Many of us are stressed and struggle to find the time and energy to care for ourselves, but self- care can be especially challenging for those in an unhealthy relationship or survivors of domestic violence. Abusers often use emotional abuse to maintain power and control convincing their victim that they do not deserve to be cared for.
You deserve love and respect.
You are worthy!
Let’s take care of ourselves and do our best to take care of each other.
Always remember Haven advocates are here to help!
