Ways To Show Yourself You Care

Self-love and self-care function together, but they’re also different. Self-love is a process of forgiveness, acceptance and compassion. I wrote about self-love here, sharing some things you might think about as your creating a new and loving relationship with yourself as well as a few actions you can take toward yourself as you learn to develop an intimate bond within you. Today, I want to talk a little bit more about self-care and its nuances. Self-care is more than a once a week bubble bath or cooking the occasional dinner, but consistent lifestyle choices that support your emotional, mental, spiritual and physical well being. Self-care really is a holistic approach to your life. These acts of self-care support self-love and, to be wholly honest, I realized I’ve only started caring for myself in the last year or so. I was always under the impression that I was truly devoted to my self-care but I wasn’t. The driver of now loving myself, not carrying guilt for choosing myself first and finding that worth has made my self-care practices stronger and pretty unbreakable. In my eyes, self-care is are habits you form to put yourself first, with intention and mindfulness.  

There are many ways that we can care for ourselves and you may look at this list and think, “I do these things, I care for myself.” But are you doing them with intention and love in your heart or to get them done and say you care? Are you moving slowly? Being thoughtful and honest with yourself? Are you challenging yourself to care as though it’s a routine and habit that you love so it becomes second nature to you? Self-care is not a chore or something to tick off on your weekly to-do list, but actions centered around love and appreciation for different aspects of your life and person.

Here are some examples of self-care actions that can be integrated into daily life. Daily practices of self-care, like habit, creates a foundation for more conscious and creative living. Loving yourself enough to commit to care as a habit is where the good stuff is. And, no, I fuck up all the time. I do some things with a grunt and realize I’ve gotten nothing from my habit of care but then there is the awareness and recognition that I’ll do better next time.

Daily Journaling

Take a few moments to write

Expressions of faith and belief in something bigger than you

Whether it’s the universe, nature, God, Angels, Saints or your deceased grandma - find a place to put your thoughts that is bigger than you

Practice deep breathing

Get centered in your breath and stay there for as long as you need to

Find Quiet

Create deliberate moments that are still and thoughtful that bring you back to yourself

Volunteer, share your time and or be of service

Care for yourself by thinking about someone else, it is in giving that we receive

Daily movement for your mind and body

Move in any way that feels good for you, just move

Get lost in a book

Read, imagine, dream, slow down, lose yourself and lose track of time

Go to bed early

Swap late nights out for earlier nights in and a more restful nights sleep

Wake up early

Start your day without stress and with peace and calm

Make your way outside for morning sunlight

Get light first thing in the morning to set the mood and tone for your day with fresh air and the sun on your face

Stay hydrated all day long

Give your mind, organs, skin and metabolism the gift of water

Eat real food

And think of food as the energy your mind and body need to feel their best

Prepare home cooked meals

Take your time to cook, eat in your home and sit at your table in a mindful and present way

Connect to people you love

Spend time outside of your home with people you love in the absence of cellphones, work emails, dings and dongs

InDulge yourself

With anything from a bath, at home, a manicure and pedicure to a spa day

Start to learn something new

Maybe it’s a language, a movement practice, an art or cooking class - do something new to stay curious and sharp

Create something, anything

Be it art, collage, a book, a meal, or a floral arrangement

Pot a new plant and care for it

Nurture this living organism and watch it grow and thrive as you nurture it and yourself

You can buy yourself flowers

You deserve beautiful things that you give to yourself for no reason or occasion at all, except for being you