Self-Care

Self-Care for Well-Being

Self-care can be considered anything that you do to keep yourself healthy and well. I like to take the definition of Self-Care just a bit further and suggest that it is comprised of those things that you mindfully and consciously and engage in to promote higher levels of well-being for your mind, body, and soul.

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I think it’s important to note that self-care is not equal to self-indulgence or, for that matter, being selfish.

In some instances, self-care might involve feeling like you are rewarding yourself for a job well done with something like scheduling a massage or spa treatment. For the most part, self-care boils down to the little acts of kindness and care that you lavish on yourself daily.

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For example, making sure your meals are not only healthy but also tasty and aesthetically pleasing is a form of self-care.

Listening to music, reading an enjoyable book, going for a leisurely walk on the beach or in the forest, creating art, are all forms of self-care.

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Did you know that just 15 minutes a day of reading something enjoyable (preferably fiction or poetry) can have an astounding influence on your overall well-being? Research shows that stress levels decrease significantly, and empathy levels take a massive jump up. People have also reported feeling increased levels of self-satisfaction and an overall happier mood. Self-care can involve picking up your favorite book for a few minutes each day.

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Self-Care and Ayurveda

In Ayurveda, you can include things like Abhyanga in your self-care routine. Abhyanga is the ritual of self-massage that you can perform every day. It can be the easiest to fit into a daily routine either in the morning or at night. Performing abhyanga on yourself is a more involved process than simply slathering some oil on your neck or back for a few minutes

Ayurveda recommends spending a minimum of fifteen minutes on self-massage each time you practice it, devoting love and attention to each of your tissue layers as you nourish them with a warm oil.

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You can use different oils with herbs and essential oils mixed in to help increase balance and harmony. It can also be useful to take your dosha (body type) into consideration as you are figuring out what time of day or what type of oil you would like to use.  

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These are just a few examples of the many, many things you can do to truly care for yourself on a daily basis.

To find out more about the potential for increased health through self-care, consider taking a course or a workshop or click here