Written by: Yana Carstens, 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.
Hi, I'm Yana Carstens. I am a certified holistic life and wellness coach and the founder of Lively Lion Wellness. I work with ambitious, working moms on fearlessly prioritizing their well-being without guilt and shame–so they can thrive professionally and personally without burning out.
You may be someone currently exploring self-care and how to incorporate it into your life. You may be finding success or running into obstacles, such as guilt, or just not finding the time or ways to practice self-care in a meaningful way. Or you may be somebody who has been practicing self-care but is looking to dive deeper and go beyond the obvious. If any of those resonate, this article is for you.
In today's article, I will be sharing what holistic self-care entails to help you deepen and embody a richness of caring for your whole being. The benefits of deepening self-care will keep you from burning out and orient you towards thriving in all areas of your life.
The misconception about self-care
The main misconception that many of my clients have is that self-care means doing things physically for yourself, such as going to the spa, getting a massage or a haircut, or simply not doing anything. Thinking that if I start doing nice things for myself, I am finally taking myself into account and showing myself that I care for myself. That makes perfect sense and is completely valid; however, if we view self-care only from the physical standpoint, such as massages and yoga classes, we miss out on a whole lot of goodness. Goodness and richness that do not take time, energy, or money spent.
So, what does self-care look like in non-physical areas of our lives, and why is it important to broaden our perspective?
Aspects of holistic self-care
What I wish more people knew about self-care is that it is an all-encompassing, physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual practice and touches all aspects of our lives, such as careers, relationships, and spirituality. It is also not a one-size-fits-all, as what we individually find nourishing is both the same and very different. For example, we all need rest, but we each individually benefit from varying degrees of different types of rest.
Self-care is typically thought of as doing things for ourselves physically, such as going to the spa, taking some time off, or going on vacation. Yet self-care is also mental, emotional, spiritual, relational, financial, and vocational, and paying attention or lack thereof to our individual needs in all of these areas impacts our overall well-being.
What does physical self-care look like?
Physical self-care takes one's physical needs into account. Going to the spa or the beach is one form of physical self-care; however, being conscious of what we eat, how we move, and how we sleep is also part of physical self-care. So when we're physically taking care of ourselves, we are mindful of what we need and permit ourselves to prioritize our needs. Whether the need is for nourishment, movement, or sleep, we self-attune and take appropriate action to intentionally–not compulsively–meet that need.
We are mindful of the food we intake when we eat and how it makes us feel. We are intentional about the type of movement we incorporate that gives us energy and joy and doesn't feel forced or like a chore. We are intentional about meeting a need for quality sleep instead of treating sleep as an inconvenience. We may practice sleep hygiene and put intention into a sleep routine.
What does mental self-care look like?
Mental self-care can entail what and how much energy we expend on a mental task, as well as how we talk to ourselves. What kind of expectations do we have of ourselves? Is the language that we use positive, empowering, and encouraging, or is it rooted in criticism and fear?
What type of information are we taking in throughout the day that is impacting our mental functioning? Are we reading things that encourage, inspire, and empower us? Are we using our mental energy on things that are important and meaningful to us? Many of us tune out or numb mentally, which we mistake for rest. Do you have a mental resting place or sanctuary you can retreat to that is nourishing and revitalizing instead?
What does relational self-care look like?
Do we set relational boundaries with ease and grace? Or do we spend time compulsively with people who drain us of energy? What are our relationships in our professional lives like, as well as our friendships with our colleagues? Do we spend time and energy on mutually encouraging and nourishing relationships, or do we spend most of our time managing relationships and keeping conflicts from escalating? Being intentional about the quality of our relationships is self-care.
What does career self-care look like?
How are you viewing your career? Too much energy going into our careers drains our well-being just as much as not having a fulfilling career. Are we working because we have to or because we want to or get to? Is our career fulfilling and enabling us to feel like we're contributing, growing, and having a sense of purpose, or is it draining and uninspiring? Career self-care involves intentionally aligning our career goals with our intrinsic values and purpose.
What does emotional self-care look like?
What is your relationship to your emotions? Are there emotions that you think are bad or shouldn't be there? Have you brushed them under the rug? Do you push through them, ignore them, or numb them? Do you view emotions as important signals and part of what makes you whole? Do you freely express yourself emotionally and maturely, or do you tend to suppress or inappropriately react to them? Emotional self-care is about embracing, acknowledging, validating, and accepting the entirety of emotions that we experience without any judgment.
Would you say that you're practicing emotional self-care?
What does spiritual self-care look like?
Spiritual self-care is considering oneself part of something bigger than oneself. Regardless of whether you are practicing a specific religion, spirituality is having a relationship with something larger than you. Are you accepting and receiving guidance and support from a higher power?
Everyone experiences stresses and challenges in all of the above areas. We start practicing holistic self-care by paying attention to how much we are receiving and not only giving of ourselves in the above elements.
Summary
So there you have it from a holistic life and wellness coaching perspective, self-care is all-encompassing and touches every single part of our lives. While practicing physical self-care is important, it is not the only way to honor and respect yourself in the way you deserve. Just as we use language to enjoy and revel in all sorts of communication, we can use self-care to take care of our whole being, not only one part of it.
I hope this was helpful, and if you enjoyed this article, you would love the High Achievers' Guide to Quality Sleep: Sleep Hygiene Kit, available for download on my website.
Yana Carstens, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Yana Carstens is a Holistic Wellness Coach specializing in burnout prevention and recovery for high achievers in the tech and design industries. With a holistic approach, Yana dives deep into the roots of burnout, offering tailored coaching experiences that empower individuals to excel in their careers and personal lives. Yana guides clients toward lasting well-being and resilience with a holistic mind, body, and heart approach. As a magazine contributor, Yana shares valuable insights and strategies to help you thrive in and out of the office. Join Yana on the journey to a healthier, more balanced life where burnout is a thing of the past and success is redefined on your terms.
