On July 24, the world commemorates International Self-Care Day. It emphasises the value of self-care as the foundation of wellness.
On this day, people all around the world are encouraged to include and prioritise self-care in their daily routines.
It is a watershed moment and an opportunity to enhance knowledge of the advantages of successful self-management of health.
Self-care has grown increasingly significant as people recognise the need of taking care of, and prioritising themselves.
This has people talking about it and encouraging others’ interest in taking charge of their health and wellness by prioritising themselves.
The International Self-Care Foundation founded the day in 2011 to increase awareness. It emphasises the benefits of self-care, which can be felt at any time of day or night, seven days a week, regardless of season.
To put it another way, the advantages of self-care are lifelong rather than temporary. The International Self-Care Day gives an excellent focus and opportunity to publicise or reflect on self-care programmes in action.
However, based on social media, one might get the impression that self-care is something that you buy, for example, expensive clothes, shoes, designer items and more.
But, that could not be further from the truth. As feminist and LGQBT icon Audre Lorde aptly put it: “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation and that is an act of political warfare.”
Here are some ways you can practice self-care at home without spending a single rand:
Express gratitude
Practising gratitude can help you shift your attention from what you believe you need to appreciating what you already have, resulting in a sense of contentment and well-being.
Do yoga or light stretching
Look for a brief routine on YouTube and follow along. Yoga may target specific regions of tension in your body while also addressing any specific health issues. It also has a positive impact on mental wellness.
Write a letter to a loved one
In this digital age, people are super connected yet feel alienated or separate from others as well. Instead of texting your loved ones, consider going old school and putting pen to paper.
Unlike texting, writing can prove cathartic and because it requires more effort, the words could flow more effortlessly and the gesture be seen as more intentional.
Journal
Writing down your thoughts, anxieties, and emotions might help you make sense of what's on your mind. Keeping a record of your general thoughts is an excellent beginning step.
It’s also a good idea to keep a thankfulness notebook. There, you can concentrate on the things you’re grateful for and of which you’re proud. This is an excellent method to improve your attitude, allowing you to enjoy the positive aspects of each day.
Try meditation
There are many free apps that provide guided meditation and mindfulness suggestions. They can guide you through breathing exercises and help you take time out of your day to relax and ground yourself.
IOL