Self care - it’s been a hot topic lately given the mental and emotional turmoil most people have been going through recently. Something recently I’ve been struggling with is this idea of the perfect self care routine - what does that even mean?

It took me a lot of trial and error to finally come to the most obvious realization: self care is meant to be personalized and there’s no perfect/correct way of doing it.

It makes perfect sense in hindsight given how you have to tailor your physical health treatment (e.g. nutritional and physical exercise choices) based on your body and your body alone. No two bodies are created, nor function, the same. So why would that idea not apply to our self care routine as well?

Now that we have that understood, that might leave you even more confused on where to start. If you’re like me, you need some sort of plan or structure to get started at the very least.

Fortunately, here are a couple of ways you can get started with your self care exploration from my experience:

1. Sleep

   When it comes to your health and mental wellbeing, sleep always remains an important factor. Scientists have time and time again studied and shown how vital sleep is to maintain and improve our immune system.

   If you’ve been feeling a bit more sluggish or generally feel like you’ve been in a fog, try aiming for more hours of sleep every day. These additional hours don’t necessarily have to come all at night either if your schedule permits.

   More important than the number of hours though is the quality of your sleep. This has been something that I’ve struggled with, but I learned a couple of tips to add to my sleep routine that I think might help you out - check those tips out here.

2. Get Moving!

   We all know how different we can feel on days we get in some form of movement versus those days where we’re more sedentary. By moving for even just 10 to 15 minutes a day, you can see an immediate shift in your physical and emotional wellbeing by reducing stress and anxiety.

   Given the times and depending on your situation, it might be difficult to obtain the resources and equipment to get your body moving in the way that it likes or is most used to.

   However, there’s a variety of inexpensive equipment and resources, such as your own body, out there to find a way to get moving that best suits your interests - more on that here!

3. Check that Gut!

   Food plays an integral role in our overall long-term health and wellbeing. I’m not a certified nutritionist by any means, but I do know a thing or two about how eating dessert and fried foods every day might leave your digestive system a bit out of whack.

   Nutritional choices are difficult to navigate given all sorts of information we’re bombarded with when it comes to quick-fix diets in the health and fitness industry.. and to top it off, life also gets in the way too! Food and nutrition shouldn’t feel restrictive, nor should we indulge every day in foods we know aren’t that great for our gut.

   As a starting point, I suggest using the portions method where you evenly split your plate out into thirds and each third is reserved for some sort of complex carbohydrate, a nutrient-dense side, and about a palm-sized serving of protein - that’s it!

   There are tons of delicious recipes online that you can explore to best suit your personal food tastes that are healthy on your gut, such as by exploring a bunch of food bloggers’ Pinterest accounts!

4. Inner Dialogue

   They say you are what you eat, but I’d argue just as strongly for the idea that you are what you think. Thoughts hold a physical presence that often goes unnoticed over long stretches of time.

   Speaking and thinking of positive self-thoughts can rewire your brain to look for greater positivity and possibility. If you have a noisy mind such as myself, making subtle shifts to your dialogue, such as some of these examples, can dramatically uplift your general mood and psyche for the long haul.

   Another great tip that can be combined with your sleeping routine is the practice of journaling. I’ve found that writing in one form or another is a great outlet to freely express your thoughts and feelings in a way that can help you assess patterns to address potential sticking points to your mental wellbeing.

   Here’s a guide to help you get started with journaling if you’re interested!

5. Set Boundaries

   Given all the chaos that life has the ability to throw at us, it’s no wonder why many of us have a difficult time engaging in self care activities. Or is it truly that difficult?

   We carve out time for meetings and projects throughout the day to signify important activities, so why can’t the same be done for your self care activities? Clearly delineating your day for work, family, self care, etc. has proven instrumental in designing a more balanced and fulfilling lifestyle.

   Try blocking out time to take part in your favorite self care activity once a week to get started. Little by little, I’m sure you’ll find value in holding yourself accountable, though I’d say it’s the desired accountability, for spending time with yourself on a recurring basis.

The best, personalized self care routine and structure won’t magically fall onto your lap overnight now though; give yourself the time to truly explore yourself through the above tips and see what truly works for you. Hmm.. as I wrote that last sentence, I realized that is yet another tip for self care in being patient with yourself.

Regardless of wherever you are in your journey, I hope that you can find the balance in life that you deserve through self care. Be patient. Stay gentle with yourself. Keep an open mind. Oh, and also remember the most important thing from this entire post:

Self care is meant to be personalized and there’s no perfect/correct way of doing it..