Self Care Is a Lifestyle – 5 Ways to Practice Self-Care at Home

Self care is – and should be – part of an individual’s lifestyle. Only by taking the time to take care of yourself, rest, and recharge your batteries will you be able to tackle any obstacles that may come your way and overcome any challenges. The reason why we say that self-care is a way of life is that it involves doing things that can only be beneficial to you on a daily or weekly basis. Taking care of oneself shouldn’t be a part-time job or an every-once-in-a-while activity. Indeed, when life gets hectic, and you find it difficult to balance everything out, it is understandable that taking the time for yourself and allowing yourself to catch your breath may seem like a waste of time. Plus, it isn’t recommended to force any of the following practices that involve you taking care of yourself.

Self-care should come naturally and on your own terms, and in your own time. For this reason, if you are the kind of person who hasn’t really prioritized this until now and is having a hard time allocating some moments for themselves, it is essential to take it to step by step and not make out of self-care just another task. But don’t worry – you are not alone. This article is what you need to get you started.

You don’t necessarily have to go to a spa or in a remote retreat in order to make self-care part of your life. The good news is that you can start by doing this in the comfort of your home because self-care is present in the smallest things, from drinking a cup of your favorite tea in the evening while reading a book or watching a good movie to meditating and prioritizing your needs. Slowly but steadily, you will manage to put yourself first. Doing this will make you better prepared to support your friends and family and perform well in your professional life as well.

So, how can you make self-care your lifestyle? How can you practice self-care at home? Here are five ways to get you started:

1. Don’t Underestimate the Power of a Long Relaxing Bath

Taking a bubble bath, putting some music on, and reading a great book can be an incredibly effective method of relieving anxiety symptoms or de-stressing yourself after a day full of work and running from one task to the other. This can be an ideal way of practicing self-care and detaching yourself from any negative thoughts. Taking a long relaxing bath and doing essential skincare are excellent ways of having a home spa day or evening as frequently as you want.

Plus, you can go as extra as you wish. Who says you cannot include scented candles, various kinds of bath bombs, or salts? Depending on your preferences and style, your relaxing bubble bath can look as luxurious as you want.

2. Prioritize Getting a Good Night Sleep and Proper Rest

Never underestimate the power of a good night’s sleep. Getting enough rest and making sure you sleep well during the night are crucial aspects of self-care. This way, you ensure that the next day you wake up with your batteries recharged and ready to tackle any obstacles and fulfill your day’s goals with good energy. Otherwise, not getting enough sleep can worsen negative thoughts and feelings, making you more prone to anxiety disorder.

If you have trouble sleeping, there are some things you can do to ensure you get a good night’s sleep. First and foremost, you should never bring your work or assignments to a place dedicated to resting. Another suggestion is to purchase high-quality sheets made from breathable materials and wear ultra-soft and moisture-wicking pajamas that promote complete comfort.

3. Focus On Allocating Valuable “Me” Time

It is of the utmost importance to find the time to treat yourself like you deserve. For this reason, after a day full of activities, responsibilities, chores, and work, it is essential to allocate some “me” time once you get home. Indeed, social life is also crucial for your self-care, and meeting with your loved ones is vital for your well-being.

This being said, personal time can be easily overlooked when you need to fit many things – working or studying, seeing friends and family – into one day’s schedule. So, as important as prioritizing your social life, it is just as crucial to allocate valuable “me” time. This means doing only the things you love in the evening or on some weekends when your energy levels are relatively low, and you need recharging. Don’t be afraid to spend time with yourself.

4. Include Some Form of Exercise in Your Life

Indeed, having to include some form of exercise in your life can quickly transform into a task that you would rather not do, especially for individuals who are extremely busy. But the good news is that exercise can take many forms, not necessarily going to the gym if that’s not really your cup of tea.

Whether you sign up for a beginner’s Yoga or Pilates glass, you start cycling or begin a sport, such as swimming; it is all up to you and depends on your preferences and daily schedule. Regardless of what you choose, the important thing is to make sure you include this in your lifestyle. This means preventing sedentarism, improving your overall health, increasing your energy levels, which all represent self-care.

5. Disconnect From Digital Devices

Nowadays, with so many digital devices available and excessively present both in your professional and personal life, it is vital to disconnect from them every once in a while and focus your attention on your surroundings. So, you should practice digital detox as much as it is possible. For example, during the weekend, you can allocate at least a few hours during the day when you don’t prioritize using your smartphone or other devices.

Apart from listening to some feel-good music when going for a walk or even during chores around the house, you should try to reduce the use of digital devices for your well-being. If the weather is nice, choose to spend some time outside, either by yourself or with a few friends. This way, not only do you practice self-care and take care of your mental and physical health, but it is also an excellent opportunity to get creative. Who knows, maybe you’ll start a new hobby, like painting.

Self care

Arsenie Boca: When Life Is Dire Do Tea In The Prettiest Cup

The best-known story told by the Father Arsenie Boca aims to bring relief to those in distress. The parable of the little cup of tea told by the spiritual guide from Prislop teaches people what they can do “if life is hard and are hit, beaten, pushed almost mercilessly when the world seems to be spinning uncontrollably and when they feel that they are in terrible suffering. “

The Father Arsenie Boca (1910-1989) is considered one of the great spiritual guide of Romanians. He left an impressive spiritual legacy to posterity. One of the most beautiful words of wisdom left by former priest persecuted by the communist regime is the story of the tea cup, a parable intended to bring relief to sufferers.

Here is the story told by Father Arsenie Boca:

“One family went on a trip to England to buy something from a beautiful antique shop, for the celebration of their 25th anniversary of marriage. The husband and wife liked antiques and clay products, ceramics, especially cups of tea. They observed an exceptional cup and asked: “Can we see that cup? We’ve never seen anything so beautiful!”

While the selling lady gave them what they had demanded, the cup of tea began to speak: – You can not understand. I was not from the beginning a cup of tea. Once, I was just a lump of red clay. My Lord took me and I ran, I fought hard, I kneaded repeatedly, and I shouted: “Do not do that!”, “I don’t like it!”, “Leave me alone!”. But he just smiled and said gently: “Not yet.” Then, ah! I was seated on a wheel and I was spun, spun, spun. “Stop! I feel dizzy! I will be sick! “I cried. But my Lord just shook his head and said quietly: “Not yet.”

He swirled me, kneaded me and hit me and he shaped up my form until He liked it… and then I was put in the oven. I never felt so much warmth! I cried, I knocked and slammed the door … “Help! Get me out of here! “I could see my Lord through an opening and I could read his lips while he slowly shook his head from side to side:” Not yet. “

When I thought I will not stand another minute more, the door was opened. Carefully He pulled me out and put me on the shelf … I started to cool off. Oh, I felt so good! “Well, so much better”, I thought. But after I cooled down, He took me, brushed and stained me all over … the smells were horrible. I thought I will not breathe anymore. “Oh, please, stop, stop!” I cried. He just nodded and said, “Not yet!” Then suddenly I was put back in the oven.

But now it was not as the first time. It was twice as hot and I felt I would suffocate. I asked him. I insisted. I screamed. I cried … I was convinced that I will not escape! I was ready to quit. Just then… the door opened and He pulled me out and again placed me on the shelf, where I cooled and waited and waited, wondering, “What will He do with me next?”

An hour later, he gave me a mirror and said: “Now look at you.” And I looked. “That’s not me; it can not be me … It’s beautiful. I’m beautiful! He spoke to me softly: “I want you to remember, I know you were hurt when you were mingled, hit, spun… but if I would have left you alone, you’d be dry. I know you felt dizzy when I spun the wheel… but if I had stopped, you would be broken into pieces, you would have crumbled.

I know it hurt and it was very hot and uncomfortable in the oven… but I had to put you there, otherwise you would have cracked. I know it did not smell good when I brushed and I stained all over, but if I had not done that, you’d never really hardened. You would not have glow in your life. If I would not have stuck you for the second time in the oven, you would not have survived much, because that reinforcement would not hold. Now you are a finished product. You’re what I had in mind the first time I started working with you. “

The moral of the story, said the confessor Arsenie Boca, is this:

“God knows what He makes from each of us. He is the potter and we are His clay. He will mold us, He will do and He will expose us to the needed pressures to be perfect to do his good, pleasant and holy will. If life seems hard and you are hurt, beaten, and pushed mercilessly; when your world seems spinning uncontrollably; when you feel that you are in a terrible suffering, when life seems dire, do yourself a tea and drink it in the prettiest cup, sit down and think about what you read here and then discusses a little with The Potter “.

Source: Adevarul.ro

Positive Words Research – Arsenie Boca deepest life lesson: “When life seems dire, do yourself a tea and drink it in the prettiest cup”

Arsenie Boca

SELF-RELIEF definition and meaning | Dictionary of Positive Words

What is the definition and meaning of self relief?

While I was reading the book “The Astonishing Power of Emotions” by Esther and Jerry Hicks, I encounter the word “relief”. When I encounter this word, it was not so important for me, but in this book, it is very much praised.  I understood why and it becomes one of my favorite positive words. 

SELF RELIEF definition – meaning | Dictionary Positive Words

I searched in the dictionary the description of “relief” and among others, I found these:

  • a pleasant or amusing change; a diversion;
  • a feeling of cheerfulness or optimism that follows the removal of negative emotion;
  • deliverance from or alleviation of negative emotion;
  • a feeling of comfort or ease caused by such alleviation or deliverance;
  • money, food, or other help, given to those in poverty or need;
  • the feeling that comes when something burdensome is removed or reduced;
  • the condition of being comfortable or relieved (especially after being relieved of distress).
SELF-RELIEF

I also found related words with RELIEF as being ALLEVIATION, ASSUAGEMENT, COMFORT (a feeling of freedom from negative emotions, a state of being relaxed and feeling no negative emotion), FREEDOM, EASE, RELAXATION, ASSIST, HELP, AID, CONSOLATION, REST, PAUSE, SUSPENSION, BREAK, BREATH, EASING, MODERATION, CHANGE, WELFARE, REDUCTION, STEP-DOWN, DECOMPRESSING, CURE, REMEDY, REFRESHMENT.

I could not find “giving up” related to “relief”. Relief is not giving up. Relief feels good while giving up does not feel good.

And then I put the word SELF in front of RELIEF and become SELF-RELIEF.

Our responsibility is self-relief. Some people wait for relief from other people, from parents, lovers, husband/wife, brother/sister, friend or they wait for relief to come on holiday or at night when they sleep, or they eat to feel relief. During an entire day they struggle a lot, they fight a lot and they don’t provide to themselves self-relief, exactly at the moment when they need it when they should.

People wait for relief from outside themselves. But relief comes from inside you because it’s actually self-relief. You can, of course, use external resources to provide self relief to yourself but you must be conscious that the action must be initiated by yourself, from inside yourself.

Whenever you need relief you should provide it to yourself. Don’t wait for no one to provide it to you; this is freedom. To provide to yourself relief in life whenever you need it, through a simple action, even one such are “taking a deep breath”, “writing your thoughts in a journal”, “taking a walk in the park”, “saying a good word to yourself”, “smile” is the best thing you can do in life.

Don’t wait for relief from anyone except yourself, not even from God, if you think God is an entity outside yourself. I for one believe that God is part of me, so when I provide relief to myself I know that is God’s wish actually.

Self-relief can come in many forms. It can be self-love, self-respect, self-appreciation, and many others. Or it can be a huge self-relief in the form of self-forgiveness. A lot of people that I know don’t forgive themselves. Some of them don’t even know that they could do this and the others don’t do it because they don’t think they deserve it. But all humans deserve self-forgiveness which is actually a form of self-relief.

Self-relief is about noticing the moments when you need it and respecting and loving yourself enough to listen to yourself and immediately respond to you in a positive way. Most of the time self-relief is not about making big changes in your life. Self-relief must be consistent because it adds up over time and compounds.

When you self-relieve yourself every day, making very small actions (sometimes just a deep breath exactly when you need it) it compounds over time (in one year for example) and you reach good health, good life, good feelings, and better. It adds up. All the small self-reliefs that you do to yourself daily adds up. This is why they say “small things matter most” because they add up over time. Access the list of positive words to brighten your day!

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