Be kind to yourself these holidays. Self-care is ultimately about setting priorities, boundaries, and finding purpose (Resolve to read ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’ by Victor Frankl).
Practice self-compassion. It has been a tough year for many of us. Research by Dr Kristen Neff’s shows us that self-compassion has all the upsides of self-esteem – but none of the downsides (like narcissism). Watch her TED talk to learn more.
When you take care of yourself, you’re also taking care of your family, friends, and teammates. We can’t be caring if we don’t practice self-care.
During Covid-19, we’ve learnt the drawbacks of not being connected.
Prioritize seeing people that are good for us in the holidays – and avoiding those that suck the energy from you.
Maybe it’s deciding to not argue with your loopy uncle about politics – just walk away.
Make time for regular walks or other exercise. The beauty of a walk is that we can do them with people we care about – a win / win. Aim for 7500 steps per day for the best health benefits.
Take time to rest well. Good sleep is the ultimate reset. Resolve to adopt good sleep habits.
You can also recharge your batteries with regular naps or meditation. Start using helpful apps like Insight Timer, Calm, or Headspace.
Have you been ignoring a hobby or interest that you care about? The break is a perfect time to restart something you love doing.
Selfcare isn’t selfish.
The post Why Self-Care Isn’t Selfish – especially at Christmas appeared first on Graeme Cowan.