Self-Care Day!

Image by A. Spratt on Unsplash
International Self-Care Day is celebrated on July 24 every year. The day stresses the importance of self-care as the cornerstone of wellness and encourages individuals throughout the world to make self-care a part of their everyday routines and turn it into a priority.
Self-care includes prioritising your well-being. While achieving your goals may be important, consider if it will truly be worth it if your wellbeing suffers in the process. I'm not saying we shouldn't work hard to accomplish our goals; I'm just suggesting we should approach them in a healthy way.
Here are some strategies to prioritise yourself:
Practise mindfulness and self-awareness
Understand your needs: Become aware of what is important to you, identify your values, set boundaries
Learn your limits: Notice when you are starting to feel overwhelmed, take breaks when needed
Make time for yourself and recharge: Schedule fun and relax time
Eat healthy, exercise and get enough sleep
Foster healthy relationships
Practise gratitude
Participation question
In what way do you prioritise your well-being? What areas need improvement?
Helpful Videos:
Ten Minute Meditation for Self Love
Helpful Resources:
The Unselfish Art of Prioritizing Yourself
Seeking Help
Mental stress can cause us not to be able to see the good things in life and lead to excessive rumination or worries which can result in serious health problems. If you have serious, long-term problems with negative thinking and feeling depressed, see your doctor or talk to a therapist if they are related to any mental challenges.
Are you looking for a therapist? 7 Cups has online, certified therapists with a paid option. For more information on what happens in online therapy at 7 Cups, Read Lisa’s (a therapist and director of therapy) explanation
https://www.7cups.com/forum/therapy/General_2432/WeveLaunchedTalkTherapyon7Cups_319430/
To apply for 7 Cups online therapy, click on this link (must be logged into member account) https://www.7cups.com/online-therapy/?ob=1
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@amiablePeace77
In what way do you prioritise your well-being? I don't
What areas need improvement? Everything
@alysianna
It must hard to always put yourself last and prioritize others. If you would have a life coach, what do you think they would suggest you start with to improve your well-being?
@amiablePeace77
I dont know
@alysianna
Hmm. My inner life coach told me once to think about what things contribute to feeling good, feeling joyful and happy and do one of these things every single day.
@amiablePeace77
that makes sense an I would if i cloud but all the things that make me happy re not aloud as I am "grounded"( for ever) from my phone for everything besides work and calling my parents for a ride from hanging out with non-existent friends as I need my phone to make plans with my friends because my dad could reach out to them to schedule things and wont then gets mad " I have a way and I don't make my own plans" knowing for well Mom said I can't use my phone
@alysianna
It's hard when you can't communicate with others. I hope things will change again for you.
@amiablePeace77
it kind of got better as I am allowed to hang out with my people i was supposed to today but then my dad his head so instead of bothering another person we just said I don't go today and I explained to my boyfriend why i am not going to go
@alysianna
Good to hear that things got better. Sorry but I do not understand what you meant with your "dad his head" - I hope he did not get injured.
@amiablePeace77
he did get injured he hit his head but he refuses to see a doctor
@amiablePeace77 normally, I do often think about how grateful and lucky I am. I do art and poetry, and take time to sit outside and enjoy my surroundings
But right now I don't know how I'm gonna get through the next 6 days🙁
@Tinywhisper11 One moment at a time. ❤️ It’s ok to be whatever you’re feeling. It’s ok to rest. It’s ok to keep busy, or do nothing. It’s ok to be quiet or loud. Just whatever you need in each moment. We’re here. You are loved.
@PiecesOfWhoeverIWas thankyou ❤❤😭😭😭😭😭
@Tinywhisper11
After ALL you’ve survived and thrived through for ALL this time and you’re worried about the next 6 days???? 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Oh Lola Lola Lola, come on girl LOL! You more than got this whatever it is! I know it! Everyone here knows it! Most important of all, YOU know it @Tiny. It’s time to tell yourself that as many times as you need to till whatever you’re worried about goes bye bye straight outta your life. You’re too strong to let this whatever it is worry you. Especially after everything you’ve been through already.
But please reach out to me if you wanna talk or need more positive affirmations from yours truly :) Hugs and ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
@Tinywhisper11
It seems things are rough at the moment, hugs. Whatever crosses your way always remember there are people here who love and care for you and happily be your safe haven to find peace and comfort. 💙
@amiablePeace77 thanks ami ❤
@amiablePeace77
I do not know how to care for myself. I have a therapist who has helped me to find the root cause of my depression and anxiety. However, recently I have lost the things that kept me going. Now I feel nothing- joy, sadness, anger, etc. I know that one of the ways to help yourself is to separate yourself from toxic people. But, what if that person is a spouse that you live with and interact with daily?
@NotAllHere713
The more challenging a situation at home is the more self-care you need. There are situations when we can't separate ourselves physically but only mentally to prevent getting triggered. I'm so sorry if you're in such a difficult situation now. Home should be a place to wind down and find peace but it's not always the case. Is there any way you can create a "safe haven" for you at home, a room or even a space outside to withdraw for a short while and maybe meditate or do something that helps you to relax? Of course, this is not a long-term solution, but it can help until there will be a solution to the problem at home.
@amiablePeace77
Wow that's a great celebration!
For me, I'm getting good at applying my night routine, but i struggle with balancing my interactions, i hope i get better.
@daydreammemories
Getting good and enough sleep is important, glad your nighttime routine improved. Interaction with others can be challenging at times. You are always welcome to message me if you would like to get links like how to communicate assertively (dearman coping skill) if that is the main challenge.
@amiablePeace77
Oh i will. Thank you!
@amiablePeace77
I struggle with my night time routine before sleep . Do you have any suggestions of helpful links(articles) on sleep hygiene.
@TJItalia
Sorry to hear that you are struggling to fall asleep. It can help to just take a pen and write down your thoughts about the problems and feelings you have or talk to someone about it - just to get it out of your system during the day so that your mind is free at night.
https://www.7cups.com/exercises/mindfulness12/
Progressive Muscle Relaxation - A 5-minute Guided Mindfulness Meditation
https://youtu.be/5q3K-6HvQIk?si=QcYAc4ngnUf-gdgt
This is a self-help guide for sleeping well https://www.7cups.com/sleeping-well/
You will find more information here along with a sleep quiz
@amiablePeace77
I will work on practicing gratitude and building healthy relationships.
@TJItalia
That's wonderful TJItalia! What is something you were grateful for today?
@amiablePeace77
In what way do you prioritise your well-being? What areas need improvement?
I prioritize my wellbeing by prioritizing myself. After dinner I go out for one last walk while letting the food digest because it’s unhealthy to sit or lay down right after you eat. While walking I plan and schedule my next day. Listening to music definitely helps as well as thinking positively. I’m always authentic and positive and kind with myself which helps to maintain everything else I mentioned and more.
Where I need improvement is not worrying about things before they happen and I have to be comfortable and have more confidence in myself when I’m in social situations/public/around people. Currently I don’t have any confidence in real life socially. I think this might be the result for me for all the childhood trauma and all the other negative experiences I’ve had and am still having which is the result of a toxic abusive mother.
@akunknown
When childhood was rough there is a lot to correct and make up for in adult life. It's the time when you need to put yourself first and do things that help to heal. So glad you're taking care of yourself! When you've never felt safe in childhood overthinking/rumination can become a habit and it can be hard to feel safe in social settings. I hope that coming here helps you to heal from your trauma. This is a link to a video I find quite calming, I hope it helps to relax
Meditation to Calm an Overactive Mind | Reduce Anxiety and Worry | Mindful Movement
Great idea btw to go for a brief walk after eating to help with digestion 👍
@amiablePeace77 I thought this question would be easy to answer, but it made me realize I don’t prioritize my well being at all really. I do things for myself, but it’s spotty. I do things for myself if I have time, once things are done for everyone else, and if they’re busy with something so that I have time alone. If someone in my family decides they want to do something with me, or need me to do something for them, it doesn’t matter if I was hoping to do something by myself, I’ll drop my ideas and won’t even tell the person about them, and just do what they want. Maybe I can do better with sticking to my ideas, but if I’m being honest most of the time I probably won’t. My first thought is that whatever I wanted to do wasn’t that important. Which is kind of true, but maybe I need to make them a little more important.
@PiecesOfWhoeverIWas
It is nice to be considerate of other people's needs and to take care of them, but I believe the first person we need to take care of, so we are able to help others is ourselves. Sometimes setting boundaries is not exclusively about others but for us instead - taking care of our needs and that can include just simple fun time so that we have balance in life.
What is something you've wanted to do for yourself for a while and have always postponed? What is something nice you can do today for yourself?
@amiablePeace77 That’s true, I’ve been finding recently that I’m really tired all the time and dragging myself through the day and things I normally enjoy. So taking better care of myself will also lead to better quality time with others.
Something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. I have some projects repurposing old things (for example I have an old baby crib I want to make into a nice bench). I have thought that I’d like to start taking small amounts of time to make progress on those. One thing I did for myself today was made time for a doctor appt!
@PiecesOfWhoeverIWas
You made a good point about how taking care of ourselves reflects on our relationships to others too!
Repurposing old things sounds interesting and great idea to turn an old baby crib into a nice bench. It's amazing what we can do out of older stuff if our minds are free to use the creativity we have.