Self-Care in the New Year
Posted by Top Livin on
As we move into the new year with our new year's resolutions front of mind, something we urge you to consider is to start looking after yourself and making self-care, looking after YOU a priority in 2021 and beyond.
When we say a priority, not just thinking to yourself – “yeah, yeah this year I’m gonna do some more self-care” – get more regimented about it.
Commit to it.
Self-care should appear in your diary or calendar every single day, the same way you schedule meetings, birthdays, anniversaries, events and public holidays into your diary or calendar.
Arguably, the most important relationship you have is with yourself. Scrap the thought that setting time aside for YOU is selfish – it isn’t.
Prioritising YOU time, this thing known as self-care will not only benefit you and your mental wellbeing, but will also make you more effective at helping the people around you who might be struggling. It’s pretty damn hard to pour from an empty cup.
STOP.
REFLECT ON WHAT HELPS YOU TO FEEL BETTER/ REVITALISED/ LESS CRAPPY ABOUT YOURSELF.
REFILL THAT CUP OF YOURS AND CRACK ON…with a smile on your dial.
Importantly, remember there is no one-size-fits-all with regards to self-care. What works for one person might not be what works for you.
You need to give a few different things a go before you can home in on those things that help you to become the best version of you…then you need to practice it/ do it regularly. The more regularly you do things that make you feel good about yourself, the more often you will actually feel good – seems so simple, but we acknowledge that forming new habits can take time and making positive changes in your life can initially be effortful. After all, motivation doesn’t just rock up on your doorstep in an Uber Eats bag.
Action breeds motivation, not the other way around, so you actually need to take that first step and start doing things to drive and reinforce motivation. In fact, research suggests that it can take about two-to-three months to reverse bad habits and substitute these with new, healthier habits.
Be patient, but there’s no better time to start than when those fireworks go bang at midnight on the first of the first two thousand and twenty one!
So, what are some of those good, healthy, adaptive self-care strategies you can start implementing into your daily life? For a wonderful list of some things you can potentially start doing, check out our Mental Health Week Daily Challenges as a good stepping stone.
Remember, not all of these strategies will work for you, but hopefully if you try a few of them with some level of patience, you’ll pick out one or two that start to positively benefit your mental health and wellbeing, which in turn will help you to become a more positive influence on the people in your life who you love and care about.
Make 2021 a year of self-care and see what a difference it makes to not only yourself, but to those around you.
Happy New Year!
#ItAintWeakToSpeak
