Self-love is anything but selfish. It means prioritizing your well-being and happiness so that your mental, emotional, and even physical health can thrive.
It’s easy to confuse a one-in-a-while indulgence with self-love. Loving yourself is an everyday practice. Use these heartfelt tips to get started.
1. Eat dark chocolate
Sweet news for chocolate lovers! Dark chocolate contains health benefits that can help prevent diseases and reduce inflammation. The key is the type of chocolate you choose – and how you choose to enjoy it. Focus on indulging mindfully and enjoying every satisfying and nourishing nibble, rather than popping piece after piece into your mouth while you focus on something else.
2. Give yourself a break
The mind and body require respite from deep concentration and screen time. While it can be difficult to break away, especially when we are at our busiest, experts say we’re actually more productive when we stop and take breaks. Moreover, how we spend these breaks makes a big difference.
Moving your body, meditating, and just simply bringing your attention to your breath can significantly reduce your stress levels and improve your concentration when you return to your tasks. Schedule regular mini “me times” throughout the day to nurture yourself.
3. Create boundaries
When our plates get too full, sometimes the best thing we can do for our health is to say no.
Creating healthy boundaries can help reduce the pressure you feel and help you prioritize your responsibilities.
“It’s crucial for people to understand that they don’t need to say yes to everything all the time,” says Michael Lucido, PhD, clinical psychologist for Munson Healthcare. “When people have a hard time saying no, they are more likely to get burned out. Try giving yourself permission to say ‘no’ to adding more things to your plate, especially when you’re already feeling overwhelmed.”
4. Know Your Numbers
You might know the number on the scale – but what about the other markers of health that reveal what’s happening inside your body?
Checking your numbers like fasting glucose and A1C, cholesterol, blood cell counts, and thyroid levels provides a clearer picture of your current health status and risk for disease. Schedule your annual wellness check-up so your family provider can advise you on important follow-up screenings, address concerns, and help set you up for success.
5. Have a stress-coping plan
When stress kicks in, how do you tend to react? Even the seemingly smallest setbacks can really set your body on edge. And to add to it, the body can’t decipher what’s causing the stress. Instead, it turns on our fight or flight response in reaction to what it perceives as a threat. Mindless eating, lashing out at loved ones, frantic “multitasking” that leads to nowhere – do any of these sound familiar? They’re just some of the ways we try to cope with stressful situations.
In addition to the stress we feel on the surface, chronic daily stress and stressful life situations can take a significant toll on our physical health too. Lowering stress is a key to optimal well-being. So how do you turn down the pressure in a more productive way that doesn’t hurt yourself or others?
They’re called stress strategies. And they really work! You just have to find the ones that work for you. Page five in our free Stress Relief Guide has many ideas to get you started. We include stress strategies to deal with both immediate stress and ideas for winding down when you have a little more free time. Try them all, choose your favorites, and use them whenever you need them.
6. Reset your routine
Taking care of yourself can feel difficult and overwhelming when there’s always so much to be done. Creating a daily routine that supports your well-being while you tackle your tasks is a must!
Use our Wellness Routine Guide to help you think through your daily to-do’s, set goals that support your priorities, and create a routine that works with and not against you.