09/01/2021
Happy September! Welcome to Better Place Counseling"s first Wellness Wednesday!
The mind-body connection is real, and self-care is vital to an individual's wellness and mental health. The term "self-care" can confuse some people and I am often asked what some self-care strategies are to implement, however, the truth is, self-care varies from individual to individual, and can change from time to time for an individual, as well.
Self-care is simply the act of caring for oneself. This can be via checking in with how you are doing emotionally, mentally, physically, or spiritually. If you realize you are not doing so well in one (or more) of these categories, you need to do something to reset and recharge yourself. This may be prioritizing work and personal life for better balance. This could be scheduling time for a massage or a get away for a night or two. Perhaps you need more time for a hobby you enjoy, or to exercise, or to relax.
The important component of self-care is listening to your body and self and providing it with what it needs to feel revived and not run down and bogged down. When we allow ourselves to run on empty and we keep withdrawing from a tank that is depleted; we are not contributing positively to our mental health, or our whole person.
*Start small
*Check-in with yourself
*Sleep (get rest)
*Put down your phone
*Take a lunch break
*Deep Breathe
*Call a friend
*Exercise (take a walk, pump iron, ride your Peloton)
*Laugh
*Organize
*Relax
I encourage you to ask yourself how you are feeling and what you might need in order to feel recharged and on the road to feeling your best. Do something for yourself...that is not selfish, that is self-care!
Happy Wellness Wednesday!
Cara Pruitt, MS, MA, LVN, LPC
Better Place Counseling, PLLC
carapruitt@betterplacecounseling.com