Somedays it feels like there are very few things that you can control in the world. With so much change and uncertainty, it can be difficult to feel grounded and like you’re in control of what is going on. As soon as you adjust to one way of doing things, another change comes along and you have to adjust your life yet again. How can you get a handle on yourself and your life in these ever-changing times? One way to combat feeling out of control everything going on around you is to engage in deliberate self-care. This may seem selfish to many, to focus on yourself when so many other people need you right now. But I’m going to show you why self-care is not selfish.
Is Self-Care Selfish?
Self-care is any action(s) that you do consciously to take care of yourself, your children, your family, and others that helps you keep up your physical and mental health. Now, notice that self-care is not only about you. Self-care, and doing it regularly, also benefits those closest to you. When you are your best self, and are daily doing things to promote your physical and mental health, then others around you also benefit from the results. After doing your daily self-care, most likely your mood will be better, thus you’ll be less likely to take out frustrations on others. And physically might feel more relaxed, stronger, or more at peace. Everyone around you will benefit from you being your best self!
How Often Should I Practice Self-Care?
This is kind of a trick question! The answer depends on you and what you need. Most of us need daily time to ourselves, to engage in something that makes you feel good. But, busy schedules, family obligations, and other things often get in the way of our well-intentioned plans. If you are truly committed to being your best self in the midst of your chaotic life, then you will need to prioritize doing self-care. I recommend trying to do something daily for yourself. Even if it’s just a few quick minutes of alone time, whatever you do will reap huge benefits. Check out our 5-Day Self-Care Challenge to get some inspiration and accountability for starting your daily self-care!
Why Self Care in Times of Change?
In times of stress, change, or upheaval in your life, there are so many things that you cannot control. It may seem like ball after ball are being thrown at you and you just keep dropping them, because you need to focus on the next thing that is coming. When you’re feeling a lack of mastery over your life, now is the time to be intentional about yourself and what you can do to feel better and calm the chaos. Engaging in self-care is a decision you can make for yourself and your family that you actually have control over. While things around you are swirling, you are now feeling grounded and secure as a result of your daily self-care.
I’m Feeling Fine, Why Would I do Self-Care Now?
Maybe right now you’re adjusting well, you’re doing ok with all of the chaos and change. But you know yourself, and you know that it is hard to sustain your mood and energy for much longer in the midst of turmoil. Maybe you’re prone to anxiety, or depression, when your stress gets overwhelming. Why not start practicing self-care now, and use it as a prevention for feeling out of control? When you know that you have 1 thing to do every day, that you depend on and can control, it will be much easier to adjust to change in the other areas of your life. Start your routine, keep that constant in your daily life, and it will be less challenging to get through every day.
By now, hopefully you are seriously considering making self-care a part of your life and your daily routine. You now know that practicing self-care on a daily basis will benefit not only you, but also those closest to you. You understand that self-care is not selfish, and how beneficial it can be when everything around you is swirling out of control. You also know that being preventative with your self-care can improve your mood (check out our blog How Self-Care Can Help Treat Depression). Now, what are you going to do about it?
We are launching a Self-Care challenge!
We know that you are always searching for high-quality tips about emotional well-being and how to stay healthy and take care of yourself. Because an important aspect of staying healthy mentally starts with your own self-care, we are kicking off a 5-Day Self-Care Challenge. When you sign up for the challenge, you will learn how self-care impacts your emotional health and how to implement a daily self-care routine. Start your journey towards your emotional health today!
How We Can Help
If you are interested in therapy at Catalyss Counseling and would like to talk to someone more about how we can help you, follow these simple steps:
Contact us today for a free 20-minute phone consultation
Or, you can book directly online with the therapist of your choice
Begin your journey towards a calmer, more relaxing life
Other Therapy Services Available at Catalyss Counseling:
We want to meet all of your counseling needs in the Denver area. Our supportive therapists provide depression counseling, therapy for caregiver stress, grief and loss therapy, stress management counseling and more. We also have specialists in trauma and PTSD, women's issues, pregnancy and postpartum depression or anxiety, pregnancy loss and miscarriage, and birth trauma. For therapists, we can also provide clinical supervision! We look forward to connecting with you to help support your journey today.
Author Biography:
Shannon Heers is a psychotherapist, clinical supervisor, guest blogger, and owner of Catalyss Counseling in Englewood, CO. Shannon helps adults in professional careers manage anxiety, depression, work-life balance, and grief and loss. Follow Catalyss Counseling on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.
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