In our fast-paced world, where daily demands and responsibilities often take center stage, it’s easy to overlook the importance of self-care and self-love. Yet, these practices are the foundation of true health and wellness. By prioritizing our well-being, we can cultivate a more balanced, fulfilling life and enhance our capacity to support others.
A.J. Garcia, MA, LMFT, QCS and Lin Green, MPA
Self-care and self-love are not indulgent luxuries; they are essential acts of self-preservation that enable us to thrive.
Self-care encompasses a wide range of activities and practices that we engage in to maintain and improve our physical, mental, and emotional health. It can be as simple as ensuring we get enough sleep, eat nutritious meals, and engage in regular physical activity. However, self-care also involves nurturing our mental and emotional well-being. This might include taking time for hobbies and activities that bring joy, practicing mindfulness or meditation to reduce stress, and setting boundaries to protect our personal time and energy. By making self-care a priority, we can prevent burnout, reduce stress, and enhance our overall quality of life.
Knowing all this begs the question: How does one put all of the above into practice?
Sometimes it takes those gentle reminders we get in daily life to trigger that thought to love and take care of oneself. And in some unfortunate circumstances, it may take a tragedy for us to realize that we’re in over our heads. Other times, it’s our health that shows us signs that we need to slow down. Then there are your friends, the outsiders, looking in. They see you spinning your wheels. Those angels on earth who are concerned for your well-being. They want to see you shine. They want to see you excel, be joyful, and live your best life. Why? Because YOU DESERVE IT!
Practically speaking, let’s say you’re a single mom. You work two or more jobs to put food on the table. You don’t have time to take care of yourself. Yet, YOU DO! Even in that brief moment where you need to take a bath, draw a hot one. Once the kids are off to bed, tucked away in their rooms… sprinkle some bath salts, light some candles, and enjoy some aromatherapy. Make yourself a priority, if even for 15 minutes. Close your eyes. Pretend you’re floating in the water off the coast of Croatia, or Mykonos… or, hey, even Destin, Florida. Just take that time.
So, if you don’t like baths, no problem! Choose what brings you joy. Imagine a day where you can spend a few hours in that space, then develop a plan to work this into your calendar. Rally up your support system. If they love you, and we’re certain they do, they’ve probably offered to be there for you a long time ago. Take them up on it.
How about a simple, quiet moment of reflection at the park, listening to the sound of the birds and the leaves blowing in the wind? In your bedroom, put some headsets on. Play some meditation music, allow yourself a moment to breathe, and sink into your bed with the soothing sounds of the calming ocean. Before you know it, you’ll be so relaxed you’ll have drifted off to sleep. (WARNING: make sure you don’t have anything that requires your supervision during this time… because YOU WILL fall asleep; speaking from experience.).
What I’m trying to say here is… Take time for yourself. Don’t wait to be overexerted to do so. Though you’ll still enjoy it, you won’t value it as much as when you are intentional about creating that space and time.
Feel free to get creative with it. In fact, our minds will welcome it.
“Self-care is not just about regular exercise, eating right, and making time to relax. Creative self–care is about feeding your soul. It’s making sure that you have something to be excited about when you get up in the morning,” Amy Miracle writes on her art site, where she shares her views on the healing power of artistic expression. (Creative self-care is not, it might be something else.) In this article, she also shares how non-artists can use art as a way to relieve stress. Check it out!
GENIUS!
Now, let’s explore the act of self-love. It is about cultivating a deep sense of acceptance, appreciation, and compassion for ourselves. It involves recognizing our intrinsic worth and treating ourselves with the same kindness and respect that we offer to others. Self-love means forgiving ourselves for mistakes, celebrating our achievements, and embracing our unique qualities. It requires us to silence our inner critic and replace negative self-talk with affirmations that reinforce our value. By fostering self-love, we build a solid foundation of self-esteem and resilience, which empowers us to face life’s challenges with confidence and grace.
The journey to health and wellness through self-care and self-love is ongoing and deeply personal. It requires consistent effort and mindfulness to integrate these practices into our daily lives. However, the rewards are profound. When we prioritize our well-being and nurture a loving relationship with ourselves, we unlock our full potential and create a ripple effect of positivity that extends to those around us.
Nonetheless, sometimes self-love means finding that peace within. Wondering if there’s a giant “magic peace wand” somewhere out there? You already know the answer to that. NOPE. It’s going to require some work on our behalf. What better work to do than the work we can do within ourselves? As written in THE BOOK OF JOY, “nothing beautiful comes without a measure of pain, frustration, and suffering, as with childbirth. Soon you’ll be a “reservoir of joy, an oasis of peace, a pool of serenity that ripples to those around you.” (From the Book of Joy, by H.H., the Dalai Lama, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu).
Need a helping hand to get to that peaceful place? Here are 14 practices you can apply in your life:
- Mend what is left gaping and unaddressed with people. (as uncomfortable as this may seem, IT IS NECESSARY!
- Finish your unfinished business. (both personally and physically with unfinished projects.)
- Clean out the clutter. (both in your mind and in your space.)
- Accept what is. Let go of the struggle.
- Stop reacting. Start responding with forethought.
- Breathe.
- Make integrity your bull’s-eye target.
- Get to know your TRUE Self.
- Kick the adrenaline habit. (Oof, this is a hard one for my coffee lovers… but anything is good in moderation!)
- Surround yourself with peaceful people.
- Pay very close attention (without judgment)
- Choose peace over pleasing people (sound familiar?)
- Take a lesson from Nature. (We love this one.)
- Release expectations. (We were free the moment we applied this to our lives.)
The journey to health and wellness through self-care and self-love is ongoing and deeply personal. It requires consistent effort and mindfulness to integrate these practices into our daily lives. However, the rewards are profound. When we prioritize our well-being and nurture a loving relationship with ourselves, we unlock our full potential and create a ripple effect of positivity that extends to those around us.
And we say all this to say, “fly like an eagle and soar into the vast, loving and peaceful place that is self-love and self-care.” At Thrive Counseling, A.J. Garcia is committed to supporting you on this journey, providing the tools and guidance needed to cultivate a life rich in health, happiness, and fulfillment. Remember, taking care of yourself is the first step towards living your best life.
And if you need a little inspiration, feel free to peruse all things Issalivestyle by Lin Green at https://linktr.ee/issalivestyle. As always, I hope this message has encouraged you. To live your life to the best of your ability. To shine brighter each day and be your best self.
Yours truly, A.J. Garcia & Lin Green
Let’s #KeepMovingForward together!
For further information, contact A.J. Garcia at 407.608.2444 or ajgarcia@thrivecounsel.com.
