When a new year dawns, we’re given an amazing opportunity to reflect on how well we nurture and care for ourselves. In this blog, we delve into the transformative power of self-care, how it’s intricately woven with self-compassion, and why it’s especially important during this time of year.
Self-care is more than a trend-it's an integral part of taking care of our physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Whether you’re a seasoned expert or a fresh convert in matters of self-care, we hope this newsletter offers valuable insights that inspire you to prioritize your own well-being.
The Multilayered World of Self-Care
The general idea of self-care seems to be physical: getting enough sleep, eating well, exercising. But it's actually a much more holistic practice that extends into emotional and mental health as well. Self-care includes everything you do to support your own needs, allowing you to show up fully for others and maintain a healthy sense of self.
One often forgotten, yet major, form of self-care is the practice of self-compassion and positive self-talk. The way that we speak to ourselves deeply informs our overall state of well-being, so it’s important that we’re mindful of what our inner dialogue has to say about us.
Self-compassion means dealing with oneself in much the same way one would deal with a close friend--with kindness, care, and understanding. Unfortunately, many of us are much harsher on ourselves than we are on others, often criticizing or shaming ourselves when we fail to meet expectations.
Shifting our inner dialogue from self-judgment to self-compassion can be a very powerful act of healing through self-care. The ability to quiet your inner critic and cultivate amore loving, supportive relationship with yourself can provide lasting emotional relief and help you approach life's challenges with greater resilience.
Self-Care for the Givers and Over-Doers
If you’re a helper, people-pleaser, empath, or perfectionist, self-care can be especially difficult. You can easily pour all of your time and energy into supporting others while neglecting your own needs.In fact, many of these types can barely recognize their own needs because they’re so focused on helping others. However, anyone who fails to care for themselves can’t serve others well. For this reason, self-care is not a luxury—it’s a necessity.
For people who’ve been socialized to put others first, self-care may feel selfish or uncomfortable. It’s important to remember that taking care of yourself isn’t just important for your own health; it’s integral to supporting others in a meaningful and sustainable way. In practicing self-care, you fill yourself up so that you can show up as your best, most authentic self for those who need you.
Seasonal Self-Care: Embracing Winter's Invitation to Slow Down
Winter is a time when nature itself encourages us to slow down. The cold and shorter days inspire us to rest, reflect, and tend to ourselves. For those of us who live in societies that prize efficiency and productivity above all else, this isn’t easy. We may feel guilty if we decide to deprioritize the demands of work, family, and other responsibilities in order to give ourselves the time and care we deserve.
When we align with the seasons, however, we honor our natural rhythms and needs. In winter, this means devoting time to contemplation and reflection. It means choosing stillness over the frenetic pace of contemporary life and emphasizing practices that promote inner peace and well-being.
You may feel that your body craves more sleep, warmer foods, or quieter moments. This is all in alignment with winter’s natural energy, which invites us to nurture ourselves and replenish our reserves.
A helpful resource to support this seasonal approach to self-care comes from Alice Domar in the form of Self-Nurture. In this book, she illustrates how our needs shift with the seasons and offers healthy, nurturing ways to honor these changes.
Winter, she posits, calls for more subdued activities: journalling, meditating, stretching, and bathing. As we attune ourselves to the seasonal shift, we make our self-care practice gentle and nourishing, helping us lean into the slower pace of winter and build a strong foundation for the year ahead.
Extreme Self-Care: Beyond the Basics
For those who want to go deeper with their self-care, Cheryl Richardson's The Art of Extreme Self-Care offers powerful tools for taking this practice to the next level. She recommends creating an "extreme self-care first-aid kit"--a personalized collection of practices, objects, and tools that support you when you're feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or burnt out.
Richardson suggests ten ideas for building your self-care kit, each designed to help you return to a place of balance and peace.
Create a Sacred Space
Create a physical space in your home where you can relax, reflect, and recharge. This can be as basic as a comfortable chair with a blanket and a candle or as complex as a personal sanctuary for contemplation and mindfulness. The objective here is to craft a place of retreat that encourages self-reflection and attunement—whatever works for you is best!
Set Boundaries With Love
The ability to set boundaries with others is important; doing so with kindness and respect is an extreme act of self-care. Learn to say no when you need to, and prioritize your own needs without guilt, or despite any guilt. Boundaries aren’t about building walls—they’re about creating space for self-respect.
Schedule Regular “Me-Time”
Incorporate "me-time" into your schedule, such as 15minutes of quiet contemplation, a nature walk, or even a bath. Giving yourself permission to have this time helps replenish your energy and brings clarity to your life.
Nourish Your Body
Self-care is also about nourishing your body. Take time for regular baths, massage, or even just a long nap. Let your body know it is deserving of care and love.
Get Moving
Exercise doesn’t have to be extreme. Simple movements like yoga, stretching, or a walk can do wonders for both the body and mind. Find an activity that you enjoy and makes you feel energized.
Creative Expression
Engage in creative activities that help you express your emotions, such as writing, painting, or cooking. Creative expression is a powerful tool for releasing pent-up energy and connecting with your inner self.
Build a Supportive Network
Surround yourself with people who uplift and support you. Building a circle of friends, family, and mentors who genuinely care for your well-being can make all the difference when navigating life’s challenges.
Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness practices, such as deep breathing or meditation, help ground you in the present moment and reduce stress. These practices help you develop resilience and emotional clarity.
Love Yourself Unconditionally
Self-compassion is the cornerstone of self-care. Treat yourself with the same kindness, respect, and understanding that you would offer to a dear friend.
Use a Grounding Object
Richardson suggests having an object that helps you reconnect with your sense of calm and balance. A grounding object could be a stone, a piece of jewelry, or any item that reminds you to stay centered during stressful moments.
How Smart Therapy Can Help
Self-care is an essential practice for mental, emotional, and physical well-being, and Smart Therapy is here to help. We specialize in identifying the emotional blocks that prevent you from practicing effective self-care and provide you with tools and support to make lasting change. If you’re ready to take a deeper dive into your self-care practices, book an exploration session here with us today.
____________________________________
Rebecca Steele & Smart Therapy™
Meet Rebecca Steele: Registered Social Worker, Psychotherapist— She is a Waterloo therapist, offering trauma therapy and counselling services in Kitchener-Waterloo, and all across Ontario virtually through telehealth sessions. With over a decade of experience as a seasoned Depth Therapist, she excels at delivering personalized 1:1 individual therapy sessions. Her expertise extends to guiding adults through their emotional landscape, tackling everything from grief, depression, and trauma to the complexities of life changes, boundary concerns, low self-esteem, relationship stress, and many types of anxieties—eg. general anxiety, panic attacks, social anxiety, phobias, anxious attachment styles, and OCD. She navigates these areas therapeutically from a Depth Therapy lens: incorporating symbolic, archetypal, Jungian, depth, unconscious, and art theory perspectives. Ready to dive into the world of compassionate depth therapy? To explore further details about Rebecca's online counselling services in Kitchener-Waterloo, please click here!
Rebecca Steele
Contact Me
