SPIRITUALITY AND FAITH
Article by Francine Houston
The "Art" of Self-care
I noticed this cycle of events that I seem to always do. I am learning to have a balance. All work and no play or relaxation can lead me to the hospital. So, I am learning the “Art” of self-care. I struggled with self-care most of my life and didn’t really understand why. I would do good for a while but slowly revert back to bad health habits. However, I have made a lifestyle decision to learn self-care and stick to it for the rest of my life. When I feel like I am off balance, I take a step back and reevaluate myself.
In order to help and care for others, I must first take good care of myself. Here are some tips to improve your self-care habits.
* Have a schedule. I started scheduling out my time and activities. To remain organized, get a planner. This helped me with consistency. My schedule included a sleep routine. I try to go to bed around the same time every night.
* Eat Healthy. Besides sleep, eating healthy foods helps with your health. Maintaining a well-balanced diet helps with overall energy and stamina for day-to-day living. It also prevents diseases, short term memory loss, and inflammation.
* Set aside some “Me-time”. I learned one thing I can’t get back is time. With self-care, I learned to use my time wisely and to have some “me-time”. Life can have you going into several directions, no matter how you determine what you spend your time on. Setting aside time for yourself and others is considered self-care as well. Find ways you can include this in your everyday life, such as taking a walk, reading, going to movies with friends, or even a massage.
* Prioritize the things you need to do. I learned that I am only one person and there is only 24 hours in a day. Some things can’t get done in one day. So, choose what you can do now for yourself and others. What you can’t finish now do later.
* Replenish your body with water. Our bodies are made up of over 70% of water. Drinking 8 glasses of water a day helps your body replenish itself.
Other tips include listening to music, mediating, having a bubble bath, exercising, and working on anything that inspires you. These are some ways that self-care can be a part of your life.
Francine Houston is the author of "Lupus Journey" and she has a number of businesses: Cineik Media, FH DESIGNS , and It Works. Francine is also a graduate of School of the Bible 2 (2013 ).
Email Francine at [email protected].