4 Ways to Practice Self-Care

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From a young age we’re taught that it’s important to treat others kindly. However, more often than not we forget to apply the same mentality towards ourselves. We can be so caught up with giving to others that we forget how important it is to give back to ourselves.

Self-care is an important part of your happiness and your ability to function throughout the day. If we only give to the world around us without nourishing our own cup, then we will find ourselves running on empty.

So, what does self-care mean, and how can we give more of it to ourselves on a daily basis? Here are some of the most practical ways to practice self-care.

Listen to Your Body

Does this sound like a familiar scenario? You have an ache or pain that doesn’t seem to go away, yet you continue to push on at work or in your personal life ignoring what your body is telling you.

Rather than letting physical discomfort persist, you should listen to your body and take the steps to change it. What do you need? Do you need a massage? Should you go to the spa? Do you need more water? Perhaps you need to sleep more. Listen to what your body says or you could risk problems getting even worse.

Laugh More

Laughter truly is the best medicine. Do as much as you can to inject more humor into your day. Whether it’s laughing with friends or watching a video on YouTube— find ways to make yourself laugh, and while you’re at it, make others laugh too!

Research shows that people who laugh more aren’t just happier overall, but they’re less susceptible to illness and disease!

Eat Well

Even though it may feel like you’re treating yourself when you eat junk food, the truth is that you’re not doing yourself any favors in the long run. Eat vegetables and fruits as much as you can. In addition to choosing healthful foods, the quantity of the food you eat should also come into play.

When you overeat, it doesn’t just affect your waistline, but it makes you lethargic and in some cases, depressed and full of guilt.

Eating reasonably and mindfully is a form of self-love that you should practice at every meal.

Sleep Enough

Skimping on sleep hours is one of the fastest ways to lead yourself to a burnout. Make sure that you prioritize rest as much as possible.

For some people this may mean adjusting your schedule with an earlier bedtime. Go to bed earlier and you’ll find yourself less moody, more productive, and above all, less likely to get ill because your body is exhausted and weak.

These are just a few examples of self-care. You may find that there are even more ways you can incorporate self-love into your life that you may not have even considered yet. So what are you waiting for? Give self-love a chance!