How to Create a Self-Care Strategy That Actually Works

Hello Wonderful, Creative You:

Today I'd like to modify the manner you think near self-intendance. Chances are that when yous hear "self-care," what comes to mind might be a series of activities – getting plenty slumber, meditation, taking vacations, exercising, etc. These are obviously important habits. Just I would advise that more than important than what you exercise to take intendance of yourself, is how you feel and retrieve virtually yourself, your needs, and your feelings.

Could yous honestly say that you love and care for yourself as much or as well as you do your all-time friend? Your spouse? Your child? That's what I call back self-care is all about. It'southward a journeying to cocky-respect, and cocky-love; it's most being as good to y'all as you are to everyone else.

Cocky-Care Myths:

Nosotros get some pretty mixed messages in our order about self-care. On the one paw, we give lip service to the importance of cocky-intendance, only on the other, there'due south a societal bias towards working as well much, being "busy," and a negative mental attitude toward doing "nothing," or relaxing.  In my experience, nearly of the myths well-nigh self-care in our civilisation boil down to these 4 behavior:

• Cocky-care is selfish.
• Self-intendance is expensive.
• Cocky-care is time consuming.
• I don't deserve self-intendance.

These beliefs brand committing to intendance for yourself difficult. I desire to counter these messages. Hither's some of what I desire you to know:

• Information technology is okay to take care of your needs and feelings. (If you don't, who will have care of yous?)
• You can have care of yourself without beingness "selfish" or neglecting others. (There is room for everyone's needs and feelings.)
• Self-care doesn't have to cost money or a lot of time. (Self-care is an attitude, not a trip to the Caribbean.)

It may be indeed be helpful for you to create a programme or a list of cocky-care activities now, or at some signal, but I'm suggesting that your start self-care practise should be because your ain needs when you brand decisions in all areas of your life. Instead of overwhelming yourself with an intense set of changes, why not get curious about how to act more like you love and respect yourself?

Anyone can use art to de-stress. Click  here for more than information on how!

Positive Cocky-Intendance Habits

Hither's some things you might keep in mind as you adopt a self-intendance mental attitude:

I think approaching self-care in a mindful fashion is helpful. For example, this week I got to my yoga form a few minutes belatedly because I was trying to squeeze in as well many things instead of pacing myself. The instructor started us in a supported, reclined pose.  When I got myself propped into it and airtight my eyes, my trunk immediately released and said, YES! I knew I needed to slow down and focus on relaxing, but I was surprised at how hungry my body seemed for nurturing. It was a wake up call to start paying more than attention.

Adept self-care is not most e'er getting information technology right, or doing it "perfectly," it's a trial and error process. I go it wrong all the fourth dimension. Sometimes you will get information technology right, and other times not, and so similar many things in life, you keep trying.

I too believe that your intentions in self-care actually thing. If yous get to the gym considering y'all are afraid that others volition recall you are fat, or join yoga because your friend dragged you, or never speak up to family about where y'all want to go on vacation, your "self-care" activities may not feed your soul in the mode y'all need them to.

I know it might audio corny, or stuck upwards, because it's not something we usually talk about, but good self-intendance is born of true self-honey. Self-love takes practice, and an intention to acquire to beloved yourself and practise good for yourself. Those are the nigh important aspects of a skilful self-care practice.

Your "Self-Care Resume"

When I am focusing on something, like cocky-care, I observe it's helpful to focus on what I am already doing well. What would information technology be like if yous focused on the positive cocky-care you have already done? This is an idea I adjusted from Ariane de Bonvoison'south book, The First 30 Days. She suggests making a "change resume -" where you list all of the changes that you have weathered successfully.  I love this thought. What if we shift it slightly and employ it to self-care instead?

What are the means you take prioritized yourself or taken intendance of your needs and feelings? I've created a printable PDF sheet so that you tin create a "self-care resume." For some this might be a challenging exercise. You might need to look at the examples for ideas, or write down pocket-size things. I invite you lot to think that we all struggle with self-care sometimes, but we also practice information technology well, otherwise we wouldn't exist here. Dig deep and try to come up up with at least one thing for each category.

Here's a sample of some things that might appear in each self-intendance category:

• Emotional / Relational:

I don't talk to Melissa and then much anymore, even though I intendance about her, she always makes me feel bad almost myself.

• Concrete:

I've paid and committed to a weekly yoga class for 6 weeks.

• Spiritual

That hike I went on when I was 16 where I only sat for thirty minutes looking over the valley – I felt and so connected.

• Creative

I doodled at piece of work yesterday when I was stressed instead of checking my phone.

• What I'd like to focus on now:

I'd similar more than places where I feel I belong. I wonder if I could endeavour a meet up? The local artists' association?

PRINTABLE Cocky-Care WORKSHEET. Click to download and print:

Self-Intendance Resume

Make a Self-Care Statement:

Hopefully, one time yous have done the Self-Intendance Resume exercise, y'all will have some sense of your self-care strengths, and perhaps too some areas for improvement. My second invitation to you lot is to create a "Self-Care Statement." The statement is a reminder, tailored specifically to you, virtually how to focus on your self-intendance needs.

Decorate a notecard, write your statement and hang it somewhere visible so y'all read it everyday.

Here's mine:

If you'd like to do some fine art journaling similar the kind I prove in this post, you might check out my video form on intuitive art journaling, or my e-volume on how to get started in an art journal. Also, people frequently ask where to find the tan paged journal I often use in my posts, you can observe information technology here.*

How to Turn a Self-Care Mental attitude into Action

When you truly consider your own needs and feelings in determination making, it shifts your choices.  When you lot tune into your feelings and your body, some of your unmet needs will probable be more than clear. Sometimes part of the primal in doing self-care is quieting the body and mind enough to really heed to yourself. Much similar what happened to me in yoga form.

Once yous mind to yourself, following through on meeting your needs is often the easy and enjoyable part. If making this shift in attitude alone or with the support of a friend feels overwhelming, you lot may want to partner with a therapist who can help you.

More Self-Care Ideas

This site is all about how to use fine art to express and explore your feelings, and de-stress. Whether or not you consider yourself an creative person, art journaling is a do that is attainable to anybody – an anything goes, write down what you feel, paint blob the colors of your mixed emotions, doodle, draw, collage, and get messy, let loose, and have fun. When you're washed, you'll probable find you lot experience a lot lighter, and clear headed. When we are little, we all know how to make art to limited and destress, sometimes we simply forget that we know how. There are several ways you lot can larn to use fine art for stress relief:

Join Creative Self-Care, our individual FB grouping for ongoing back up and ideas on ways to use art equally a tool for healing and self-discovery.

Take 1 of my Online Classes for step by step techniques and guidance on using art for self-care and learning to let go! Or, check out my eastward-book on how to art periodical.

Bank check out my Art Tutorials page, it's costless and fun!

Find out how to do self-intendance in v minutes.

Share Your Cocky-Care Wisdom and Your Questions!

What do you think is important for a proficient self-intendance attitude? Will you share it in the comments?

Also, be sure to get your free Guide to Creative Self-Intendance: This is a 6 day guided form with a cocky-assessment, self-care myths, information on creating an art studio fifty-fifty in the smallest spaces, inspirational fine art journaling video, and artsy self-intendance tutorials. Grab your spot now!

*This is an affiliate link, if y'all cull to click and purchase something, you will support the creative self-care work at Mindful Art Studio with a small committee for my referral at no added cost to you. Thank you!

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Source: https://mindfulartstudio.com/self-care-strategy/