Taking care of yourself might be the most vital responsibility we ever have.

Over the course of our lives, we may spend more time taking care of ourselves than we do anything else. The art of self-care is something that takes a lifetime to master. The perfect time to start learning is now.

Where Do I Start My Self-Care Journey?

Although you may be at the start of your journey, that doesn’t mean you’re starting from scratch. Beginning your self-care journey means identifying the ways you already take care of yourself. Take a look at your schedule, and ask yourself the following questions: 

• What am I doing to maintain myself? Human beings are creatures of habit. Every day, we all do things to maintain our bodies and preserve our health. These are your acts of daily living; the little necessary things that you do for yourself each day. It doesn’t have to be Big Important Stuff for it to be important. Brushing your teeth, eating three meals a day, and taking a shower are all commonly practiced acts of daily living.

• What am I doing to improve myself? Many seek out self-improvement for the approval of others, or for the benefit of their careers, and there’s nothing wrong with that! But self improvement is worthwhile for its own sake. There is immense satisfaction and wisdom to be had in improving your body, mind, and spirit. You could improve yourself by picking up a new hobby, quitting a bad habit, or learning a new skill. 

• What am I doing to accept myself? There’s more to self-care than self-improvement. Accepting yourself means understanding and honoring your own boundaries. Without self-acceptance, we become miserable in our own company. We can accept ourselves each day by using positive mantras, carving out time to rest, or scheduling something exciting and fun for ourselves. We might not always possess perfect self-acceptance, but we can always strive towards a more complete sense of self-love and self-acceptance.

How Do I Begin Self-Care? 

“That’s all well and good then, but what if I’m hardly doing any self-care? How do I start caring for myself when I’m inexperienced and out of practice?” You ask, and it’s a sensible question. When you teach self-care to a child, you do it through patterns, schedule, and routine. When you teach self-care to an adult, it’s exactly the same. Here are a few nice places to start with your self-care journey: 

• Gratitude Journaling. By writing in a journal each day, you can add an element of self-reflection to your daily routine. By journaling about the things you feel grateful for, you can find more appreciation for the good in your life. 

• Surround Yourself. It’s important to stay socialized! Being in a social situation can be a powerful motivator for self-care. To put it plainly: we’re more motivated to brush our teeth when there’s the risk of someone smelling our breath. 

• Foster Resilience. Self-care means being able to endure when times get tough. Being resilient means facing difficult situations, and knowing to reach for your coping skills.

Why Is It So Hard To Take Care Of Myself?

Self-care can be so challenging because it is a skill, and it must either be taught, or self-taught. We don’t come out of the womb with a perfect understanding of our wants, needs, or the difference between those two things. The reason it can be so hard to take care of yourself is because it’s hard. But not impossible. 

What’s Most Effective For Self-Care?

If you want to get to work on learning the subtle art of self-care, the best way to do it is through the literal art of self-care. Art therapy has helped masses of people just like you improve their self-care skills and get in touch with their creative passion. 

Integrative Counsel proudly offers virtual Art Therapy with Quinn. Quinn uses virtual art therapy to treat individuals with OCD and Anxiety, as well as those undergoing a major life transition or adjustment and are  experiencing grief. Click here to schedule your virtual art therapy session!

Sunny Ebsary is an educator, multi-modal artist, and writer specializing in the intersection of myth and mental health. Sunny’s writing walks the line between poetic and logical, giving readers a chance to interface with the mind and imagination. Sunny’s been putting pen to paper since he was a child, writing everything from albums, novels, and plays, to essays, interactive games, and of course, many articles! While studying both psychology and writing, he realized his real passion in life was helping others unlock their creative spark. Whether he’s leading a D&D game, directing a production, or diving deep into the brain, you can be sure Sunny will be ushering you toward finding meaning in your life.