Let’s face it… you probably burn the candle at both ends and take care of yourself last, right? Well, summertime is here, and it’s time to catch up on all the self-care that you have been depriving yourself of! We know that summer is still busy, but maybe you are transporting the kids a little less now that school is out and many sports are on a break. Or, maybe you are working from home still and can squeeze in a little self-care on your lunch break. It’s time to take an hour here and there and feel refreshed!
What Does Self-Care Mean?
Self-care is taking care of yourself in any capacity necessary – physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually. It is different for everyone. Maybe you enjoy working out, but you haven’t had time. Maybe you love working in the yard and find pulling weeds to be therapeutic. Let’s look at a more extensive list of ideas for self-care:
Physical Self-Care
- Working out
- Yardwork
- Yoga
- Bicycling
- Jogging
- Rollerblading
- Adult league sports
- Manicure/Pedicure
- Facials
- Massage
- Anti-aging treatments
Emotional Self-Care
- Spending time with friends
- Date night
- Alone time
- Regularly meeting with a counselor
- Journaling
- Doing something fun
- Doing nothing
- Taking a walk on the beach
Mental Self-Care
- Play games
- Do word puzzles
- Watch T.V. for a mental break
- Listen to a podcast
- Read a book
- Take a nap to clear your mind
Spiritual Self-Care
- Join a Bible study
- Go to church
- Journal
- Meditate
- Practice mindfulness
- Pray
- Read/watch/listen to something spiritually uplifting
Can I Afford Self-Care?
One of the main reasons that so many people neglect self-care is that they think they can’t afford it. We have two arguments against that: 1) many of the ideas listed above are FREE and 2) you can’t afford to NOT take good care of yourself.
The price you pay for not taking care of yourself is far too high. The mind-body connection is very real. You cannot be physically unhealthy without it affecting other areas of your life, just as you cannot be unhealthy in your mind without it affecting other areas of your life. When you are physically unhealthy, you can experience long-term health issues such as high blood pressure, imbalanced hormones, and chronic headaches. When you are emotionally, mentally, or spiritually unhealthy you can experience things like brain fog, depression, or anxiety.
The mind-body connection is seen, for example, by the fact that physical exercise produces endorphins which are basically a happy drug produced by your body – you experience a natural, safe “high.” When your body feels good, it causes your mind to feel good. Conversely, if you are in a healthy place mentally, maybe from regular counseling or personal prayer/quiet time, you are more likely to feel up to engaging in physical activity.
Aside from the physical and mental costs of NOT partaking in self-care, you are probably wondering about the monetary cost of choosing to take care of yourself. As mentioned before, many of the above ideas are free. For those that do cost money, we recommend that you put aside a little money each paycheck designated to self-care. If you can put aside $30 in a month, then you can get a manicure or pedicure! If you put aside, $100, you can get a massage. Or, you can save up for a bigger expense, such as Botox. Just make sure you put aside the money, then actually use it for self-care!
Fountain of You Is a Great Place to Start
We are going to assume that we have convinced you of the importance of self-care! Fountain of You med spa in Melbourne, FL offers many services that can help you take loving care of yourself. We offer Botox, fillers, and other injectables, along with services like dermaplaning and chemical peels. We also offer laser hair removal and menopause and andropause services. If you suffer from a chronic medical condition which would be helped by medical marijuana, Dr. Zipper may be able to provide you with the necessary recommendation for your medical marijuana card, required in Florida. With a wide variety of offerings and offices in Melbourne and Merritt Island staffed with caring, compassionate nurses and aestheticians, we believe that we can truly help you take better care of yourself!
