Oh that word. Self care.
The word every influencer is talking about.
All the aesthetics and vibes. But yet no one is really telling us what it is.
We’re left with the question: how do you elevate your self care in 2023?
Well I got you, hang tight.
Defining Self Care
Let’s first start with the definition of self care.
And yes, I’ve done this before on here, but it doesn’t hurt to always have a refresh.
Google, defines self care as:
The practice of taking action to preserve or improve one’s own health.
Sounds pretty simple right?
But, now that you have the definition would you know where to start?
For me the first step in the question how to elevate your self care in 2023 goes back to understanding.
And the understanding that self care starts, ends and joins with wellness.
Wellness and Self Care
Wellness and self care are not separate, in fact that quite synonymous.
Let’s look at the definition for wellness now.
The state of being in good health, especially as an actively pursued goal.
Whew, let’s first pause at that underlined word, pursued.
I would say let’s look at the definition of pursued too but let’s not get crazy here with definitions.
Instead, I want you to see that both definitions require some form of action on our part.
We have to put in work. That my friend, is the first tip.
- Put in the desired work, for the desired outcome.
Great. Now you can start right? Not quite. Let’s move on to step two.
Health, Self care and Wellness
Another thing I want you to take note of with the definitions above, is the one common word in both definitions. Health.
Don’t worry, I won’t throw another definition at you because I’m pretty sure we all know what health is.
The key point here is that both self care and wellness have direct correlations with your health.
Now what kind of correlation, well that’s up to you.
- The condition (or health) of your year doesn’t just depend on your physicality, it depends on your mentality too. You have to approach it from both sides.
Mental Health
This one is kind of hard to go over. Being a nurse, I feel mental health is often overlooked in terms of overall health and well-being. Most people think of physical ailments but seem to forget how strong our minds are.
“If you can take care of your mind, you can take care of the world” – Ariana Huffington
Sounds a bit far reached right?
But in reality, that good ol’ saying if you can put your mind to it you can do it, shows us just how strong our mentalities are.
Putting it all together
So now we have wellness, self care, health and mental health. What does it all mean?
It means, to elevate your self care in 2023 we are going to need a combination of all of these things.
- Don’t limit yourself to think self care is just on the surface, allow yourself to go beneath your skin and hair into your emotions and feelings.
And I promise you what you’ll find down there.
As a mom, digging deep is what helped me fight things like postpartum depression, mood swings and more.
As a nurse, digging deep is what helps me stay in the career and avoid burnout.
As a person, digging deep is what keeps me going.
When I practice self care, I don’t just stop at the bubble bath. I go to the journaling or self help books in the bath.
Dig deep, see what you learn about yourself when you do.
That’s how you elevate your self care in 2023.