If you search #selfcare on social media, you’re going to see lots of posts about getting massages and spending time at the beach. However, self-care should be more basic than all of that. Now, don’t get us wrong, massages and beaches can definitely help you relax, but if you want long-term boosts for your mental health, you need to focus on your daily routine. Because with a few simple tweaks to your habits, including the tips mentioned below, you can feel more calm and content every single day, and then you can live your best life yet.
Eating More Mood-Preserving Foods
When you’re feeling down, you may be tempted to reach for comfort foods like ice cream, cookies, and candy. Unfortunately, these sugary and processed foods will not have any positive impacts on your overall health and may even make your mood worse. So if you really want to lift your spirits, choosing mood-boosting foods will have more positive and long-term effects on your mental health. Foods like beans, beets, carrots, bananas, and even avocados can actually help fight off those feelings of depression, so look for ways to add more of them to your diet.
Setting More Healthy Boundaries
If you find yourself feeling resentful of friends and family members, they may not be wholly to blame. All too often, these feelings of resentment are a product of you not setting boundaries to ensure that your needs are met in relationships. Although you may think that establishing boundaries with the people you love the most is selfish, it’s actually necessary to avoid negative feelings in these relationships. Setting boundaries is one of the healthiest self-care moves you can make for your mental health and for your relationships.
Making More Smart Money Moves
According to recent data, more than one-third of couples from the UK rank financial concerns as the top source of stress in their households -- and the reason for divorce. Whether you are experiencing anxiety over income, debts, or a combination of both, there may be ways for you to take back control of your finances. If you are a homeowner, refinancing your home loan could be one of these options. Refinancing can give your finances a boost by freeing up a lump sum of cash or lowering your monthly payments. Either way, you can put the extra money towards paying off debts or padding your savings.
Getting More Quality Rest and Sleep
Another top source of stress for working adults is a lack of sleep. Actually, sleep and stress tend to have more of a cyclical relationship. So, the less sleep you get, the more stressed you may feel, but the more stressed you feel, the less sleep you may be able to get. While incorporating more self-care into your routines, including the suggestions above, can improve your sleep and reduce your stress levels, research shows that resiliency may be even more helpful. So if you want better rest and sleep, and enhanced mental health, focus on improving your resiliency.
Taking More Time for Exercise
Some people only think of exercise as a chore. In reality, exercise can be self-care. Not only will it make you healthier, but exercise can help you feel better about yourself. If you tend to view exercise as a boring routine, there are ways to inject some fun into this activity. Pair up with a friend, join an exercise group, or invest a little money in a smartwatch that keeps track of your vitals; that way, you can see the impact exercise is having on your body. The more enjoyable you make your routine, the more apt you’ll be to stick with it.
There’s nothing wrong with pampering yourself with a few face masks and rubdowns, but self-care doesn’t have to be luxurious to improve your mental health. In fact, by focusing on simple practices, like eating healthy, saying “no,” or even dressing better, you are bound to see more long-term positive changes in your emotional well-being. Try adding these essential but basic self-care habits to your regular routine to find true contentment in life.
About Brad Krause
After spending most of his time in a corporate setting and neglecting his own self-care far too long, Brad embraced his calling and decided to become a full-time life coach. He now spends the rest of his life helping people get a better foothold on their wellness above all else. Visit his web site selfcaring.info and email him at brad@selfcaring.info.
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