Self-care is an essential part of maintaining physical, mental, and emotional health and well-being. It is the practice of actively protecting one's own happiness and well-being, especially during times of stress. Merriam-Webster defines it as “taking care of yourself”, while Oxford Dictionaries goes further to explain that it is “the practice of playing an active role in protecting one's own well-being and happiness”. Self-care is more than just a one-time activity; it is a lifestyle change that allows a person to dedicate time to their health in order to ensure their overall well-being now and for years to come.
It can be difficult to prioritize self-care, especially if you feel like you don't have the time or capacity. However, it is important to remember that self-care is essential for your health and should be seen as a form of self-management. There are many ways to incorporate self-care into your life. One easy way is to make it part of your regular routine.
This could include activities such as exercising, meditating, or spending time with family and friends. If you have a chronic illness, your self-care plan may be a little different from that of a person who doesn't have it. For example, if you have diabetes, you'll want to make sure that the coping strategies and activities you use as self-care help you manage your condition while following your treatment plan. It is also important to remember that knowing when to see a health professional is an important judgment that a person who cares about themselves must make and should be the result of a self-determined decision-making process about self-care.
If you search for the term “self-care” on the Internet, you'll find tons of articles, definitions, and resources to support your self-care journey. In conclusion, self-care is an essential part of maintaining physical, mental, and emotional health and well-being. There are many ways to incorporate self-care into your life, such as making it part of your regular routine or managing a chronic illness with coping strategies and activities. Knowing when to see a health professional is also an important part of self-care.
