This International Self-Care Day, 3 ways to give yourself some self-love!

International Self-Care Day (24th July) is a great day to pause, reflect and slow down. The theme for 2023 is “Resilience, adaptability, and thriving in adversity”. But what do we mean when we say self-care?

Self-care is a wide category, and it incorporates all the different ways we take care of ourselves – physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally. It’s a day to remember that taking care of your own well-being is the best gift you can give to yourself. Ultimately, if you’re not doing well, it will be difficult for you to help anyone else. So, take this day to feel some self-love! Here are a few suggestions to follow:

Recognize and respect what affects you.

All of us get affected by different things. An approaching deadline may make you anxious. You might start sweating if you are late for an appointment. The important thing here is to recognize and identify the things that upset you and more importantly, not fight them, but rather acknowledge their existence in your life.

Your body is trying to tell you something, so listen to it. If something is making you feel worried or anxious, don’t dismiss it. Pay attention and understand why you’re feeling what you feel. By digging deeper, you are taking the first step towards recognizing what’s wrong and working towards fixing it.

Do what works for you!

If you search for self-care, you’ll find a variety of suggestions on the Internet. A long bubble bath is great self-care for some people; meditation works for other people, and for many others, a cup of strong tea is the perfect antidote for a hard day. But don’t get overwhelmed if these don’t work for you. What works for other people doesn’t necessarily have to make you feel better and that’s fine!

Experiment with what works for you and what makes you feel calmer and at peace. Take the time out to try out different things, but don’t feel guilty if it doesn’t work for you. Recognize the ‘self’ in ‘self-care’ and do what makes YOU feel better.

Make it a routine.

International Self-Care Day is a day to spotlight and raise awareness about self-care. But self-care is important every day of the year.

Healthy self-care is a routine, and it never stops. Even if you’re busy, try and dedicate some time every day to self-care. It is the process that is important. Take out even half an hour every day to focus on yourself – YOU deserve it.

Whenever you have doubts over whether you’re giving yourself enough self-love, remember the quote, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.”?Whether you’re a caregiver, a student or a professional, remember to keep taking care of yourself, because only then can you take care of others.

Wishing everyone a happy International Self-Care Day!