As we celebrate National Wellness Month every August, I’ve noticed a growing focus on the importance of self-care in recent years. Self-care is a holistic approach to wellness that taps into your mind, body, and spirit. The great thing about self-care is it means something different to everyone, and it can take many forms. Determining your form of self-care is a journey we all must take to better wellness.

What is Self-Care

Self-care is addressing our well-being. We don’t take care of ourselves as we should. How many of you put more effort into daily tasks, beat yourself up for mistakes, and say things about yourself you would never say out loud? Self-care is ensuring you put yourself first and be the one constant thing in your life. It’s about liking yourself as you are and taking the time to nurture your needs. Here are six forms of self-care and the ways to correct an imbalance you feel.

Mindful Physical Self-Care

Physical self-care is something many of us are tuned into by taking care of our bodies to make sure we are healthy. This means physical activity, eating healthy, dressing well, cleaning your living space, and attending the doctor regularly to ensure you feel your best. Physically caring for yourself can affect your emotional state. When you respect the physical, it helps you feel better mentally. Other ways to take care of the physical:

• Get a massage
• Get enough sleep
• Disconnect from social media
• Take a relaxing bath.
• Improve your skincare routine

Psychological Balance

The American Psychological Association states well-being is a “state of happiness and contentment, with low levels of distress, overall good physical and mental health and outlook, or good quality of life.” Psychological self-care centers around positive self-talk, personal awareness, and gratitude. Often we focus more on the things we do not like about ourselves instead of what we like. To fix this, spend time self-reflecting and writing three things you like about yourself every day. This will help to shift your mindset and cement positivity in your mind.

Reflecting on Highs and Lows

Just like every fitness journey has its share of low-intensity and high-intensity workouts, our lives have ups and downs. Reflecting on these highs and lows is another crucial aspect of obtaining psychological self-care. It’s about acknowledging the good and not-so-good moments – your victories or the times when you stumbled. Reflecting on these experiences opens a window to understand your journey better, learn from it, and draw inspiration for the future – very much like modifying your workout based on what helped you improve vs. those that were not for you.

Emotional Intelligence

Cultivating emotional intelligence can improve our overall wellness, helping us understand and express emotions appropriately.

Discover Your Emotional Palette

Every emotion, even those pesky uncomfortable ones, plays a vital role in our lives. Feeling angry, happy, sad, or excited helps us better understand our needs and wants. The key here is to identify and acknowledge your emotions without judgment, just as mindfulness practices do. Think of your feelings as colorful post-it notes left by your subconscious, providing incredible insight when read right.

Some ways to strengthen emotional self-care include:

• Talking to friends or therapists about our feelings
• Practicing daily affirmations
• Forgiving ourselves and others
• Engaging in activities that make us laugh

You must understand and be aware of your emotions, so you can find ways to deal with them.

Spiritual Grounding

Spiritual self-care is different for everyone. It depends on your beliefs, but spiritual well-being stems from finding meaning in our lives. Physical health gets a lot of limelight in the wellness world, but spiritual grounding underlies a sense of purpose, peace, and well-being. Aligning our actions with what we believe in contributes to our spiritual wellness. Activities for spiritual self-care include:

• Meditation
• Prayer
• Mindfulness
• Yoga Practice
• Helping others in need
• Spending time in nature

Spiritual grounding ultimately cultivates a strong foundation for our overall well-being, much like how earthy roots nourish a thriving tree.

Personal Development

Pursuing personal interests and setting realistic, achievable goals help enhance our self-care efforts. Personal self-care is about fostering relationships, learning about yourself, and setting goals. This may include tapping into hobbies or figuring out what you want in life. What can you do personally to help reduce and cope with the stressors of life? Here are some examples:

• Take up new hobbies or continue practicing current ones.
• Manage debts and finances efficiently
• Change your surroundings or immerse yourself in new experiences
• Meet up with supportive friends
• Create a vision board to stay focused on your aspirations

Professional Growth

Professional self-care is doing work that leaves you fulfilled. Professional self-care involves seeking meaningful career growth while maintaining a work-life balance. Think about what you do and what you can do to make sure you strive to be your best in that role. Do things to help you grow and make meaningful contributions. This can also mean practicing healthy habits in the work environment to reduce any stress affecting your well-being. Here are some ideas:

• Taking lunch breaks to recharge
• Setting boundaries while working from home
• Delegating tasks when appropriate
• Utilizing vacation days for recreation and relaxation
• Engaging in skill development or professional courses

When you understand the needs you have, you can determine the proper course of action for self-care. We must learn how to balance the stress we feel and find ways to cope. Our wellness should be our top priority to feel our best selves every day.