A Fresh Perspective on Self Care
In this post we’ll chat thru…
① My personal perspective on SELF CARE + WHY I believe it’s ESSENTIAL
② The 7 Types of SELF CARE
③ EXAMPLES for how you can SPRINKLE SELF CARE into your daily life
I'm sure you've heard the phrase "you can't pour from an empty cup" before. And while that sounds good rolling off the tongue, by showing up and serving others in all my roles, I would naturally empty my cup day after day after day...leaving little room to be filled back up. Maybe you can relate? I'd wake up with amazing ambitions and want to give my day everything I had. But as the hours rolled on, I had less and less to give. I was always on the back burner and that led to a vicious cycle of stress, burn out, and feeling resentful of the activities + people I loved most.
That's when I realized there was a better way.
What if instead of filling your cup and then pouring out...what if you cultivated daily habits that filled your cup so much that it was OVERFLOWING?!
Think about it. If you simply "fill your cup," it will always be depleted by the end of the day with all you give and in all the ways you show up. But if your cup is overflowing to BEGIN with...YOU can then pour out to others from that EXTRA and remain FULL, too.
Self care is like the ol' oxygen mask analogy. You know the one that comes on the airplane PA before you take off?! The airline will always remind you to put on your oxygen mask BEFORE helping others. Self care (and "overflowing your cup") is the same - taking care of you with intention + focus FIRST SO YOU CAN take care of others WELL and show up to the calling I believe is placed on your life.
Alright…so now that we know it’s truly ESSENTIAL to care for ourselves…and we have a fresh perspective that we CAN DO IT in a way that loves + serves + honors what matters most to us, let’s dig in!
THE 7 TYPES OF SELF CARE
Self-care involves taking care of yourself so that you can be physically, mentally, and emotionally well. Its benefits have been linked to higher self-esteem, reduced stress, improved immune system, and increased productivity. When people talk about “self care” we usually see references for physical self care practices, such as baths and workouts, but self care might be talking with a therapist, cleaning up your space, getting back into a hobby that's FUN + MINDLESS, or scheduling date nights with your spouse. What I’m trying to say is that self care is MORE than baths. If you’re not meeting your correct self-care needs, it’s going to feel like you’re spinning your wheels and living in that constant state of burnout and overwhelm. But when you can identify the specific type of self-care that you are in need of, you can meet that need and fill your cup.
Self-care is about meeting YOUR needs and doing what is best for your mind, body, and spirit. When I was prepping to launch my SISTERHOOD MEMBERSHIP, so many women shared that self care felt like “one more thing” on their to-do list. But I challenge you to do a little mindset shift if that’s how you feel.
Self care is a TOOL to enhance your life and your day to day. Stop viewing self-care as a task on your to-do list and start viewing it as a tool that is naturally woven into your life so that you can show up as the healthiest version of yourself. If you are too busy for self care…then, sis, you’re too busy. Period.
SO WHAT ARE THE 7 TYPES OF SELF CARE?!
Mental - cultivating + strengthening a healthy mindset through mindfulness and curiosity
Emotional - taking care of matters of the heart with healthy coping strategies and self-compassion
Physical - taking care of your body with exercise, nutrition, good hygiene, and proper sleep
Environmental - taking care of the spaces and places around you and also taking inventory + ownership if a space or place no longer serves the season you are in
Spiritual - taking care of your soul through activities, practices, +/or communities that provide a sense of purpose, direction, and/or meaning to your life. this doesn’t have to be religious, but for some it is
Social / Relational - cultivating healthy relationships (intimate, friendships, + even as a parent) and connecting with people who get you
Recreational - getting back to your inner child with hobbies, fun activities, adventures, and new experiences.
Looking at this list can feel daunting. I get that. But I want to stress that there is no "balance" of all of these areas. Self care is what area YOU need to give attention to. Self-care can be something that is calming and relaxing. And it can also be a looming task that you've been putting off. Often times it's the areas we've been placing on the back burner that need focus. Therefore, it will not look the same for everyone AND it will not look the same day to day. It's about living with intention + focus so these habits of self care can routinely be sprinkled into your day. It's my hope that you’ll be empowered to find a variety of ways to pour back into YOU so that you can go out and LOVE + SERVE from that overflow.
When I am the healthiest version of mYSELF, that spills out into my family, work, RELATIONSHIPS, community, etc.
Let’s ditch the ALL OR NOTHING mentality when it comes to self care and let’s instead consider how we can sprinkle it throughout our day to day in small, meaningful ways. Yes it takes intention. Yes it take paying attention to what you need. And YES…I promise you these small things will make the BIGGEST DIFFERENCE.
I know you love a solid example, so I’m going to walk thru the 7 different types and give a few ideas to get your wheels turning.
MENTAL SELF CARE
You might be in need of mental self-care if…your brain feels zapped at the end of the day
• Writing in a journal (shout out to the WIN THE AM journal for making this doable!)
• Take an intentional digital detox or *gasp* a day off work 😉 (yep…you were given personal days for a reason)
• Engage your brain in a new way/learn something new
EMOTIONAL SELF CARE
You might be in need of emotional self-care if…you find it hard to control your emotions or your day is ruined by the the emotions of others
• Schedule virtual or in-person therapy 1-2 times a month
• Engage in a meaningful/deep conversation
• Allow yourself to feel the full range of emotions vs suppressing
PHYSICAL SELF CARE
You might be in need of physical self-care if…you have low energy/haven’t been feeling your best
• Get adequate sleep or shoot…take a nap if you’re tired!
• Move your body in a way that feels good (dog walk, yoga, or sign up for a fun class!)
• Hit your daily water goals
ENVIRONMENTAL SELF CARE
You might be in need of environmental self-care if…you can’t focus/don’t feel productive in the space you’re in
• Tidy an area of your living space
• Go outside for a walk/change up your scenery
• Appeal to your five senses (ie light a candle)
SPIRITUAL SELF CARE
You might be in need of spiritual self-care if…you’re lacking clarity, fulfillment, purpose, or direction in life
• Make a vision board / set a few meaningful goals
• Turn on a meditation app for 5-10 minutes
• Say a prayer or put on some worship music
SOCIAL / RELATIONAL SELF CARE
You might be in need of social / relational self-care if…you feel isolated, lonely, or disconnected from the important people in your life
• FaceTime your mom
• Host a game night with a few friends
• Plan a date night with your spouse
RECREATIONAL SELF CARE
You might be in need of recreational self-care if…you feel like there’s so much pressure in life or you can’t remember the last time you laughed so hard you almost wet yourself 😜
• Go bowling, rollerskating, or sledding…something fun you did as a kid!
• Head to Michael’s and ACTUALLY buy the stuff you need to do that craft (and then go home and do it!)
• Laugh
I want to wrap this up by giving you a couple action steps to follow if you feel like a million light bulbs just went off. These steps are geared toward helping the busy woman make self-care a woven piece of her day to day life. Burnout. Overwhelm. Constantly feeling low and alone? It’s not serving you, sis. Remember what I said before…if you’re too busy for self care…you’re too busy. Let’s make today the day that self care becomes a TOOL that helps us show up as our BEST SELF.
…because there are people who are counting on you.
STEP 1: RATE EACH AREA OF SELF CARE ON A SCALE of 1 - 10.
evaluate where you’re currently at (zero judgement!!!)
STEP 2: IDENTIFY YOUR 1 or 2 HIGHEST + LOWEST AREAS
First…celebrate where you’re already rocking it! 👏🏼🎉 This means you have habits ALREADY woven into your life and that’s a BIG FREAKING DEAL. Keep those up if they’re serving you + pause to acknowledge yourself!
And then take a moment and look at what areas may need attention. It’s often the self care that we’ve placed on the back burner that we’re in need of MOST. Your ratings are clues to what you need. Listen to them.
STEP 3: TAKE ACTION
…because DUH…action is the secret sauce, my friends!
Brain storm a few ways you can sprinkle self care into your life in those spaces that need it most. Scroll back up for some examples or follow me over on Instagram for inspo, too! Just like anything else I talk about over here…self care takes INTENTION + FOCUS. Don’t just cross your fingers and hope that it happens. It won’t. Just like anything else that’s important to you…schedule it into your week so that you know it will happen.
BONUS STEP:
And if you need a tangible tool to help you create the habit + show up to your self care each and every day, snag my ✨FREE✨ self care trackers below.
OKAY…LOVE THIS BUT WANT EVEN MORE?!
The SISTERHOOD MEMBERSHIP is a virtual self care community for hard working women who also want to include THEMSELVES on their to do list. The sisterhood’s mission is to provide tools, resources, and community that equip and empower you to take care of YOURSELF (mind, body, + spirit), so you can go out into the world and LOVE + SERVE from the overflow. Every season we dive deep into a fresh + relevant topic to help YOU make progress towards what matters most to YOU. Let’s do the dang thing!
PS…This website includes affiliate links. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products + tools that I have personally reviewed, love, and/or use. You can read the full statement HERE.
