Self-Care Guide: Why it Might Be Easier Than You Think

The idea of self-care is one that a lot of people can get behind. Its inherently flexible, malleable nature means that you can fit it to your own preferences easily, meaning while some might prefer tactics like meditation, others might just want to unwind with their friends.

However, the difficulty might come from eliminating the negative aspects of this downtime (finding the time for it in the first place or worrying about the money that you spend while seeing your friends). These logistical worries can prevent you from trying it in the first place, but getting into a regular self-care routine can be transformative for your quality of life.

Dealing With Stress

You might feel as though the difficulty comes when your stress is less generalized – when something like financial difficulty is causing you a lot of worry and anxiety. While not to say that you should sell all of your belongings as a way to combat this stress, it can be healthy to take a proactive mentality towards them. If you feel there’s a way to address your more practical concerns, exploring them to see if they’re realistic might be worthwhile. 

Going back to that prior example, you might think about selling some of your old belongings through online retailers, or even your furniture with the help of shipping companies like Shiply – knowing of possible routes to take can help you feel as though you have options.

Find Your Own Entry Point

It might also be off-putting to have forms of self-care pushed on you, perhaps making you think that you have to try something like meditation in order to lead a mentally healthy life. This isn’t true, of course, and while an open mind is important, it’s more important to find an entry to self-care that makes sense for you. As mentioned before, if going out with your friends helps you relax, but it involves drinking and spending a lot of money, this can also be detrimental in its way.

If you enjoy nature, for example, going for quiet natural walks or finding a spot where you can simply enjoy the surrounding ambiance is a step in the right direction. You might think about taking that further with an activity like gardening, something that can help you look after yourself but also the state of your home.

Lifestyle Changes – Passive Self-Care

It’s also easy to think of self-care as being quite prescriptive – something that has a firm definition and something you must make time for. On the contrary, it’s possible to practice self-care just as a matter of course. You might think to do this by treating yourself to a healthier diet of home-cooked meals, or you might think about how you can include more exercise in your schedule. Either of these options (or even better, both) can improve your physical health but also your mental health, making it an adjustment that’s well worth making, even if it feels difficult at first.