Self Care is More Than a Bubble Bath
Today, I am looking out my window and taking in the majesty of the clear blue sky. The trees across the street are bare and beautiful, awaiting the new life of spring, while people bundled in heavy jackets walk by quickly in the crisp, cold air. The sun bathes the scene with its pale golden light, and I find myself lost in the serenity of it all.
Believe it or not, gazing out the window and appreciating what I see is a form of self care. While I’m not physically outside, I am slowing down to pause, give my brain a break, and simply notice what is going on in my surroundings. We call this “mental self care.” This might be especially helpful when staring at a screen for long intervals or needing a reprieve from your own thoughts or surroundings. A few other ways we can practice mental self care might include meditating, doing something creative, decluttering, limiting social media, or trying something new.
Sometimes there are days that are emotionally exhausting or difficult. During those days, practicing mental self care is vital to maintaining our mental health. Needing to unplug from your current situation for a while gives you a “breather” and can also help you to mentally gather yourself to tackle the hard issues at hand. One of my favorite ways to shake off the doldrums is listening to music, which will often lead to singing and maybe even dancing. This could give you an outlet for nervous or anxious energy.
Other ways to manage emotional exhaustion are:
Re-watching a favorite movie (this works because it is a known factor, which calms the brain)
Setting a boundary such as “I don’t have the capacity to talk about that right now—could we talk about it tomorrow?”
Reaching out and asking for help from someone, whether it’s for a task or simply spending some quiet time together with a friend
Taking care of our body is another way to practice self care. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy encourages eating mindfully at regular times or creating a pattern before you go to sleep, such as brushing your teeth, turning off your phone, reading, or listening to calming music, which helps to develop a regular sleep schedule. Working toward twenty minutes of daily exercise is also advised within DBT. When we maintain these practices, our brain knows what to expect and will become calmer.
When it comes to taking care of ourselves, we sometimes need to think outside the box and consider our whole self and not merely what we want for instant gratification. Self care is much more than a simple bubble bath, getting our nails done, or treating ourselves to a decadent dessert, it is also being cognizant of taking good care of our mind and body.
