Written by: Jennifer McClendon, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Self-care Saturday, Self-Care Sunday, Self-Care on a budget. Self-care is everywhere. Because of this, it has become a buzz word and its meaning is diluted. Self-care is a necessary wellness practice. It helps usher in the outcomes people desire in their health, finances, and relationships. Without it, would we hurt?
Self-care is an intentional set of actions done consistently to take care of your whole self. Results of consistent self-care produce noticeable changes in all life areas. Examples of results can be improved mental clarity, energy, and healthy expression of our emotions.
How we take care of ourselves matters to the people who love us and the work we do. It tells the world how we value ourselves. Do you know anyone who is well-rested, gives attention to detail and manages stress and problems in real time? These are the results of this person’s self-care practices. It does not mean they are always in self-care mode. It means the outcomes of their self-care practices have a high return on their investment. To this person, self-care is worth doing.
My belief is anything done excessively is not healthy, no matter what it is. Messaging about self-care can be perceived as a helpful reminder or a harmful criticism. The five tips below can be used to shift your focus to developing a healthy self-care standard:
Reflect on the outcomes you want to achieve in each life area
Factor in how self-care helps you achieve these outcomes
Develop natural self-care practices that are beneficial to each area of your life
Monitor your progress toward your outcomes
Adjust your self-care practices along the way or when you set new outcomes
Remember, this is not a race to keep up with trends and social media rhetoric. It is about mastering the intentional practice of taking care of yourself and achieving wellness your way.
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Jennifer McClendon, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Jennifer McClendon is a licensed professional counselor and licensed clinical alcohol and drug counselor with over twenty years of experience in the mental health field. Early childhood and young adult experiences led her to counseling for personal growth and created an opportunity for her to become a counselor helping others recover from similar challenges. She specializes in care for substance use, trauma, anxiety, stress, depression, and co-occurring conditions.
