Whether you’re with family and loved ones this holiday season or are spending it alone, self-care is a vital part of making sure you can get the most out of the coming of the new year. For many, the arrival of a new year often brings out huge amounts of stress for people, especially for those with mental illnesses.
How We Define Self-Care As Introspection
When we refer to self-care, we don’t just mean bath bombs and online shopping – we mean taking the time to grow, learn and see where you are in your day-to-day life. Although the typical self-care tips given are a great way to relax and unwind, self-care from a mental health perspective means taking an inside look into your mindset, the actions you’ve taken, the events you’ve dealt with, and introspectively seeing where you are versus where you want to be.
Self-care is defined by the World Health Organization as the ability to take care of your physical and mental health without the need of a healthcare provider. While this definition provides a broader scope, this broader scope takes in many essential aspects of our quality of life, including taking medication, drinking water, performing basic hygiene, exercising, and eating a healthy diet. But while all of these actions are part of self-care, taking the time as an individual to empower yourself towards your goals, recognize and learn from your mistakes, and find places where you are happiest the most is what self-care truly means.
Our Tips For Effective Self-Care For The New Year
As the last few years have been turbulent and chaotic, self-care routines and activities have become a vital part of many people’s lives. Mental illness has been an ongoing circumstance that has escalated, and while professional care from a mental health professional can provide immeasurable value, self-care is a huge aspect of healing that’s often underappreciated. To help you through the holiday season, here are some tips to follow for self-care:
- Practice Mindfulness and Gratitude: Negative mindsets, excessive worries about the future, and finding life to be dull neglect your mental health in harmful ways. Practicing moments of gratitude through awareness and establishing a connection with your emotions can help you become more present at the moment.
- Take Care of Your Responsibilities: Sometimes, the best thing we can do for ourselves is to stop avoiding the hard tasks set ahead and tackle them head-on. Taking responsibility for your actions, emotions, and relationships with other people can give you a sense of self-worth and autonomy in your own life.
- Discover Your Passions: If you’ve been hesitant to try and explore a new hobby, jump right in and do it! Even doing it for at least five minutes a day can help you feel better about yourself and what you can do.
Most importantly, if you find that you’re in trouble mentally and cannot do it on your own, then reaching out for help through a mental health professional is the best thing you can do to care for yourself.
