Everyone’s talking about the importance of self-care. For the past several years, your social media feed must have given you countless temporary self-care tips, from how you can spend your weekend to how you can budget buying yourself treats. And there’s nothing wrong with that. However, you deserve to treat yourself not just once a month. You deserve a consistently healthy lifestyle for both your physical and mental health. And that’s where we come in.
Since taking care of yourself shouldn’t be a one-time thing, here are the four permanent self-care hacks that you should mull over and practice doing as soon as possible.
Choose a self-care-friendly home
It all boils down to where you are. In the end, it’s all about location, location, location. One of the best investments you could ever have for yourself is finding the perfect home that doesn’t only serve as sleeping quarters.
This will be your refuge when your work gets too frustrating. Your home will be the sanctuary you can run to when life becomes exhausting. It’s the place where you can recharge and get inspired to try harder for the next battle. Thus, finding the perfect home can be the push you need to win the war that is life.
Look for land or properties that offer peace of mind. One that makes all the living necessities and emergency establishments you might need easily accessible but gives you privacy and separation from the bustling city life at the same time. Choosing the perfect neighborhood where you feel safe and feel engaged in the community is also a must. And considering a location that can benefit your hobbies and interests can be a great bonus as well.
Find the balance between social life and “me time”
Everyone needs social interaction to stay sane. Whether you’re a party animal or a wallflower, spending time with your friends can and will reinforce your mental stability. But keep in mind that having time for yourself is also vital in your growth.
Make sure you establish boundaries for your friends and yourself early on. You can spend three nights gallivanting with your clique and four relaxing at home. The key is to have enough time to process and understand every information and emotion your mind has come across for the entire week. The idea is to balance out connecting with people and reconnecting with your body weekly or daily basis.
Surround yourself with the right people
Tell me who your friends are, and I’ll tell you who you are.
Nowadays, it’s not surprising that choosing the right friends has become something that needs a guide. With social media’s role in everyone’s life, finding the right people to surround yourself with can become quite a task. But fret not because we got your back. Simply answering these questions can help make it easier.
- Do they make you feel good about yourself?
- Do they make it easier for you to communicate your feelings?
- Is it okay with them if you say no?
- Is it okay with them if you spend time alone or with others?
- Do they push you out of your comfort zone in a good way?
- Do they push you to elevate yourself and your life?
Let go of negative relationships and actively participate in finding people that bring out the best in you. It doesn’t even need to be a long and tenured friendship. Sometimes, you can get more out of a person you met five minutes ago than from one you’ve grown up with. Understand that people grow and change. Your needs in high school can be far from what you demand of a friend now. And that’s okay.
Practice living in the present
Another problem that social media brought to the world is the heightened anxiety-inducing comparison that almost everyone does and feels whenever they scroll down. Whether it’s because of FOMO (the fear of missing out) or feeling inadequate compared to other people’s lives and achievements, when you see people experiencing and doing things that you haven’t done in a while or haven’t had the chance to do, can make you feel insecure. And that’s very dangerous.
Depression is connected with regrets over the past, and anxiety is deeply rooted in the fear of the future. And one of the best ways to work on them is by living in the present. Understand that the only time you truly have control over is the one you’re having right now. Be more aware of your surroundings, what you have, and who you are now. Your present self is much more mature compared to the one you were a. couple of years ago. And the “you” now is more yourself than the possible “you’s” in the future.
Practicing being happy and accepting of yourself can do wonders for your mental health.
The bottom line
Taking care of yourself starts from truly understanding yourself at the moment. It revolves around giving yourself time to reflect on who you are, what you feel, and what you need. It’s a responsibility, and choosing the right people and place could make it a lot easier. So, before you uncork that bottle and head on to your skincare routine, try to remember that self-care isn’t just for a couple of hours.