It's a good thing that self-care is talked about and emphasized more these days. It's a really good thing! We have more on our plates than ever before, and I would venture to say that the information age (access to all known information in existence through a device in your pocket) puts more on our minds than ever before, too.
When
I was a young mom, self-care was the last thing on my mind, and the last thing
I thought I could fit into my life. Now
that I’m a mom of more self-sufficient kids, I understand the importance of
self-care, but I also realize that back then I was actually doing one of the
best methods of self-care there is without even realizing it!
I
definitely want to share this awesome self-care method with you, but first
let’s look at self-care a little more.
What Self-Care Is and Is Not
Moira
Lawler from Everyday Health states it well: “Let’s clear up one
common misconception from the get-go: Self-care is not synonymous with
self-indulgence or being selfish. Self-care means taking care of yourself so that
you can be healthy, you can be well, you can do your job, you can help and care
for others, and you can do all the things you need to and want to accomplish in
a day.”
I
feel that phrase bears repeating for some of us: Self-care
is not synonymous with self-indulgence or being selfish.
Self-care
includes things like getting enough sleep and eating good food that fuels your
body, but it’s a lot more than that, too.
For an introvert like me, self-care is spending time alone with myself
or spending time with cherished friends or family. For an extrovert, self-care might look like a
night out on the town with friends or attending/throwing a party.
So
think more about what self-care looks like for you than what it looks like for
someone else.
The Benefits
Lawler’s
article refers to several studies which show that consistent self-care leads to
many broad benefits, such as better health—both physical and mental—including
reduced stress, development of coping skills, ability to combat burnout,
improved immune system, increased productivity, and higher self-esteem.
Jane
Stark at Botanica Health lists five wonderful
benefits of self-care: slowing down makes you more productive; self-care boosts
your immune system, improves your self-compassion, helps you find out who you
really are, and empowers you to give more to others (not less).
How to Make the Time for
Self-Care
While
“manicure” and “read a book” often come up as self-care suggestions, it can be
difficult for young moms and other busy women to find the time for things like
this. The good news is that self-care is whatever you want it to be. It can take as little or as much time as you
want it to. I have a friend whose
self-care practice includes buying herself fresh flowers once a week to keep on
her bedside table.
So,
before I share my best self-care suggestion, I want to share with you a few
ideas for making time—and even thinking about time differently. These are some of my favorite suggestions!
The Best Self-Care You’ve
Never Thought Of
Now
that we’ve got all the business out of the way, let’s look at the best
self-care method you’ve never even thought of.
I love it because it involves something you already have (and it’s
something you already love, too). I’ve
called this best self-care method “the best kind of retail
therapy,”
and it’s definitely true. (In fact, you
can jump over to that article to see for yourself.)
You may be completely surprised
that the best method of self-care you’ve probably never even thought of is: your own pictures.
I
don’t mean the pictures that are in a big jumble on your phone that you can’t find or keep
track of, I mean pictures that you take
time to give meaning to, like this:
Pictures
are much more powerful than we give them credit for! Remember
that list of benefits of self-care? It
turns out, taking time to sit down and preserve your pictures does many of the
same things:
- creates connections
- raises self-esteem
- increases a sense of belonging
- has a grounding, centering effect
- reduces stress
- improves memory
- creates perspective and power
- contributes to healing from grief
- increases happiness
- increases relaxation
- and, my personal favorite: shown in studies to make you feel happier than chocolate!
(There are many references
and sources from which I compiled that list of benefits—most of them can be
found at
this link.)
What
I love most about preserving my photos
and memories as self-care is that it is not only so good for me, but good for
my family, too, since they get to enjoy the by-product of my self-care for
years and years to come.
NOTE: I am a Forever affiliate (a decision I made because I love it so much), so you will find several affiliate links in this post, from which I earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you.
My Go-To Self Care
When
my kiddos were little, my “me-time” was getting together with a friend to work
on scrapbooks while our kids played. It
entailed hauling little carts of pictures and scrapbooking material, but we’d
do it for several hours a few days in a row, so we banged out page after page,
got some “Mommy Time,” and had play dates at the same time. It was perfect.
I
didn’t realize until years later that it was self-care.
In
fact, it inspired me to write my first ebook, The Secret Ingredient to
Self-Care and Wellness
(which you can read free at that link). It’s
about a 40-minute read—and perfect for “me time.”
Nowadays,
those kiddos have grown and my friend and I live in different states. I do my
photo-storybooking (a.k.a. scrapbooking) mostly on my own using
just my laptop and a digital scrapbooking and professional publishing company
I’m completely in love with. And sometimes
I Zoom with my friend while I’m working!
Now What?
1. Consider what will benefit
you the most in terms of self-care.
2. Consider what you can do to
make time for it. (Although we certainly
benefit from slowing down and having non-kid time, remember that I used “me
time” and “play dates” and “work on scrapbooks” in combination! There are many options for making time.)
3. Prioritize. Be
your own best friend on this and don’t let yourself down.
Involve your pictures. It’s the best method of
self-care you’ll ever think of.
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