The start of a new year often brings a full mix of emotions: excitement for new beginnings, grief over what has changed, anticipation of things to come, exhaustion from the stress of the holidays.
With the new year also comes lists of goals, ideas, and resolutions we seek to cultivate in the days to come. Some of us want to create new health habits; others want to find a new hobby, while someone else strives for financial goals. Each person seeks different intentions and desires with the new year, but one goal should be on everyone’s 2020 list: self-care.
Over the last few years, “self-care” has become a buzzword often associated with images of bubble baths, clay face masks, and bingeing Netflix. And while those practices can absolutely provide moments of relaxation, if we want to truly nurture our mental, emotional, and physical health, we have to go deeper. It’s imperative to go beyond the surface level and those pretty social media images of what self-care can be and identify practices and tasks that truly provide care to our souls.
Self-care is not simply pampering ourselves but instead, reaching deep within ourselves to nurture the parts of our being that require maintenance and care. As individuals, we aren’t made up of just one thing. We have different parts, and each of those pieces needs to be cared for. So, as we start into this new year, here are eight areas in our lives that are in need of self-care practices, along with some ideas to help you implement your own self-care.
Physical Self-Care
Taking care of our physical being sounds like a no-brainer. But if we are honest with ourselves, our physical care so often takes the back burner during stressful times. If you are a caregiver, mom, partner, or spouse, you’re especially susceptible to putting your own physical care second to that of everyone else. Physical self-care doesn’t have to be going to an hour-long workout class three times a week; it could be as simple as:
going for a 10-minute walk around the block
calling and scheduling your own doctor or dentist appointment you’ve been putting off
eating a piece of fruit
taking a shower
brushing your teeth
Sometimes shifting our mindset from things we have to do rather than things we choose to do can change the way we relate to our self-care. Instead of I have to brush my teeth today, we can notice the way that we are caring for our physical being through our oral hygiene.
Psychological Self-Care
Psychological self-care includes ways to nurture our mental health. Whether you are in a place of grief, happiness, depression, contentedness, or anxiety, it is important to care for the psychological part of yourself. This could feel daunting if you have never taken care of this part of yourself before, but it could be as simple as:
reading a book about improving your self-talk
doing a social media fast
journaling
using an app like Calm or The Tapping Solution for guided meditations
Emotional Self-Care
Our psychological self and our emotional self are very closely connected, so some of the practices of psychological self-care can also help meet our emotional self-care needs. As we think about nurturing the emotional side of ourselves, we can brainstorm ways to build our emotional literacy, build self-compassion, manage our stress, and navigate our emotions. You can provide that emotional self-care via:
reconsidering the things you take for granted with a gratitude journal
giving yourself space and time to process how you are feeling after an experience to help grow and flex your emotional understanding of yourself
setting mental and emotional boundaries with people
offering yourself compassion for times that are emotionally and mentally difficult - offer that care to yourself in the same way you would a friend
Social Self-Care
In this time in our culture when we are constantly pulled in many directions (e.g., kids, spouses, work, home life, family, friends), it is very easy to default to needing to “check out” when we have a few moments for ourselves. And while getting that alone time to decompress is absolutely vital for our well-being, it is also important to cultivate relationships in our lives that provide support and trust. We need connectedness, and that only happens in relationships with other people. Some ways to practice social self-care in the new year include:
joining a book club
taking a class or joining a group that is separate from being a mom, employee or a partner/spouse
honoring the commitments you make to other people by showing up to social gatherings you say you will attend
arranging with a friend to go for a walk together
calling upon friends and family and leaning on them when you need help so you don’t have to do it all on your own
Professional Self-Care
Professional self-care can feel challenging to navigate, especially when you feel like you don’t have much say in your work environment. But as we so often integrate our work as part of our identities, finding ways to nurture yourself and care for yourself in a professional capacity is vital. Too often, the stress of work follows us home when we are off the clock. You can meet your self-care needs in a professional capacity through:
setting boundaries around your lunchtime, and taking time to actually eat your meal without working through it
talking with your boss or supervisor and advocating for your needs
identifying professional boundaries that you need to create (e.g., not answering emails after 6 pm) and sticking to them
finding a co-worker or someone in your field you can use as a support system or mentor
attending retreats, workshops, or training that will help develop your skills and knowledge in your field
Environmental Self-Care
Our emotional and mental well-being can greatly be impacted by our environment. And while we often don’t have a lot of control over the major factors of our environment such as our neighborhood or the people around us, there are things we can do to help cultivate feelings of peace or calmness in our space. Ideas include:
picking one area of your home (your desk, your dresser) and decluttering or organizing that space. Make a goal to keep that space clutter-free.
making sure the sink is empty (dishes either washed or in the dishwasher) every night before you go to bed
being mindful of technology consumption in your house. Turn off the television and maybe play some quieter music to change the mood.
picking one chore (dishes, emptying the trash, putting away laundry) that will help create a sense of peace, calmness, or decreased anxiety if it is done daily. Set an intention to maintain that chore as a way to create a peaceful environment.
Spiritual Self-Care
Cultivating spiritual self-care in our lives can also greatly impact the emotional, physical and psychological parts of the self as well. Your spiritual self is made up of the beliefs and values you hold true; the things that help guide you through your life. As you focus on spiritual self-care, you may grow in your spiritual awareness as well as your connectedness with others who share your beliefs. Practicing spiritual self-care involves practices that help you grow in your understanding of your beliefs and values and help deepen your spiritual awareness. Each person’s relationship to their spiritual self looks different, so of course, each person’s spiritual self-care will look unique as well. These practices could include:
meditating or praying daily
attending weekly worship or gathering services
writing in a journal that’s designated for holding your spiritual explorations
attending a retreat or conference to help foster or deepen your values
taking a walk through nature
volunteering with an organization that reflects your beliefs and values
Financial Self-Care
Money and finances are some of the top stressors in life. The simple idea of talking about money is enough to make some people’s anxiety shoot through the roof. So, finding ways to practice self-care in your finances is an important step in nurturing yourself and helping to manage your worry or anxiety. Finances can feel overwhelming, but perhaps you can practice self-care here by:
using a tool or app to keep track of your monthly income and expenses
keeping a calendar of when your expenses or bills are due and scheduling those payments on time
opening a savings account and setting aside a percentage (even 1%) from your paycheck each month so you can begin creating a cushion should an emergency arise
using a tax tool or finding a tax professional to help you complete your yearly taxes on time
As you start out this new year, pick one or two of these areas of your life in which you want to begin implementing some self-care practices. Start out by setting small and attainable goals so as to help foster success. As you find yourself feeling more comfortable and at ease with those practices, slowly begin to incorporate additional areas and practices of self-care into your routines. So, in which area of your life will you begin practicing self-care as you head into this new year?
Disclaimer: I have not received any payment or compensation for any of the products listed or recommended in this blog post. Any products or services listed are done so as mere suggestions and support to help you practice your self-care.
Receive Support for Self-Care and Online Therapy for Women in Louisiana, Hawaii, and Colorado
Mastering these practices can be harder than one might expect. I would be happy to offer support from my New Orleans, LA-based counseling practice. I also offer online therapy for the residents of Colorado, Hawaii, and Louisiana. To start receiving the support you deserve, follow these steps:
Schedule a free 15-minute consultation by phone or video
Learn more about me, and how I can help
Begin cultivating self-care in your daily life
Online Therapy Services Provided by Ashley Comegys, LCSW
Support for self-care in Louisiana isn’t the only service I offer at my New Orleans, LA-based practice. I offer a variety of online therapy services to women in Louisana, Hawaii, and Colorado. I specialize in providing online therapy for women with anxiety. However, I also offer many other services online including online individual counseling for women, online postpartum anxiety and online postpartum depression treatment, online postpartum support, online depression treatment, online grief counseling for women, online therapy for military spouses, and online trauma treatment for women. For more information, feel free to please view my blog, or FAQ page!
Ashley Comegys is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who focuses on working with women with anxiety. She holds a license in both Louisiana and Hawaii, and specializes in providing online counseling in both states. Based in New Orleans, LA and Mililani, HI Ashley helps women find healthy ways to cope with the anxiety that often follows life transitions, grief, loss, and trauma. If you need help finding ways to cope with your anxiety, contact Ashley to schedule your free 15-minute consultation.