I've identified 8 facets to self-care. These 8 facets bring balance and help ensure a holistic approach to well-being. Just like anything else, some things come naturally to us, while other things we have to work a little harder at. One example for me is my social well-being. In many of my friend groups I am the one that organizes our get-togethers. I am a connector at heart, I love gathering people and organizing fun things to do. There are other areas where I struggle more or have to work harder and be more mindful.
In the wheel of self-care, here are the 8 different facets I have identified and a few ideas of how to achieve that facet.
Spiritual - spending time in nature, awareness of non-material aspects of life
Physical - eat healthy foods, rest when sick, get enough sleep
Intellectual - engage in stimulating learning opportunities, adapt thinking to new situations
Nervous System - able to relax or unwind after a stressful day, unchanged breathing patterns with challenging situations
Social - disagree with others respectfully, be apart of a club or organization
Professional - say no to excessive new responsibilities, advocate for fair pay, time off, benefits or other needs
Psychological - write in a journal, read literature that you enjoy
Emotional - talk about problems in appropriate enviornments, allow yourself to cry
Self-care activities are the things you do to maintain good health and improve well-being. They don't always feel good in the moment and this is key to remember. We tend to think self-care should always feel good and often use pedicures as a prime example of taking care of ourselves. Sometiems self-care requires us to make decisions and feel uncomfortable.
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