Four Types of Self-Care
“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.”
“Self-care” gets thrown around a lot, but what is it?
Basically, it’s anything you do to take care of your mental, emotional, and physical health, and allows you to show yourself the compassion and time that you show others.
The most common ones we hear about are massages and bubble baths. Now, I’m not knocking those types of self-care, but one date with a rubber ducky isn’t going to offset the entirety of a stressful week. Most of us are better at reactive self-care (when we respond to stressors or burnout) than preventative self-care (engaging in regular practices that help our ongoing well-being).
Part of self-care is ensuring you find a regular release valve that addresses ongoing stress and creates a “reserve” so when you get hit with a big stressor you have more resilience.
So what does that actually look like?
Self-care covers everything from finding work/life balance to taking your vitamins, but we can break them down into four categories.
Physical self-care is anything has to do with supporting and caring for your body so it can work to its best ability.
This can include: exercising, walking, focused breathing, relaxing your muscles, getting adequate sleep, and eating well.
Emotional self-care involves identifying, acknowledging, and feeling your emotions, as well as expressing your emotional needs.
This can include: counselling, asking for help, talking with a friend, playing, and laughing.
Social self-care is about connecting with others in a way that feels restorative or energizing. (To learn about other benefits of social connections, check out this article).
This can include: parties, book clubs, a phone call with a friend, or even brief social exchanges at the grocery store.
Spiritual self-care is connected to beliefs, values, and a higher purpose in life.
This can include: yoga, meditation, religious worship, nature, or volunteering.
One type of self-care isn’t better than another, but I do suggest finding a few different options that help your overall well-being. After all, the more resources you have, the better!
