how to define self-care for yourself

let's talk about self-care, by definition selfcare is "the practice of taking action to preserve or improve one's own health" or "the practice of taking and active role in protecting one's own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress". however, we want to help you break down and define self-care for yourself because self-care can look different from person to person. 

there are six elements of self-care: emotional, practical, physical, mental, social, and spiritual self-care. each element is important and helps you define what forms of self-care under these elements are best for you. 

so now the question I want to pose is what does self-care mean to you? and how often do you prioritize self-care? 

to answer this question from my perspective, a physical element of self-care is putting my body's needs at the forefront and listening to what my body is telling me. did I wake up this morning with my body feeling tired and even though I wanted to push myself out of bed, I laid down for a few more minutes ? did I tell someone no I don't want to do something because that would mean overextending myself? yes and yes, because this is what self-care looks like for me on a physical level. 

so now let's help you define your self-care, grab a pen and piece of paper or download the activity sheet here. Answer the following questions: 

1. There are six elements of self-care what elements do you feel you practice the most self-care in? 
2. There are six elements of self-care what elements do you practice the least amount of self-care in? 
3. In the elements that you practice the most self-care explain why? 
4. How do these self-care moments or activities make you feel? 
5. In the elements that you practice the least amount of self-care explain why? 
6. Is there something stopping you from practicing more self-care in these elements, if so what? 
7. In what ways will you commit to practicing more self-care in these elements 
8. How many realistic hours can you dedicate to self-care per week? 
9. The biggest of them all, use our activity sheet to create a self-care plan and remember to show yourself grace, you may not be able to keep this every day. However, do whatever your best is that day. 

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ready to start your self-care journey take the quiz and follow us on social media @shopblendedd for more self-care tips, products and more!