Which of these statements about self care are true?
It is monthly massages, manicures, pedicures, and facials.
There’s only one type – pampering yourself?
It’s selfish to take time for yourself?
None of them.
Does that surprise you? To be real with you, I’m almost embarrassed to admit that I used to believe they were true.
- I thought self care was just about relaxing activities.
- It was all about pampering yourself, sleeping in, and taking baths.
- Self care was selfish – everyone depends on me and I need to be there for them FIRST.
But then, I dove into the specifics and researched more. I discovered that self-care is so much more. I’m here to teach you what I’ve learned so you can continue to care for and teach your students. You will become more emotionally available for your family all while keeping your cup full. Who doesn't want to get rid of those anxious feelings that teachers so often feel. Taking care of you not only helps you maintain your identity as an individual, it allows you to have enough left over to give the ones you love.
Different Types of Self Care
Self Care is any activity you enjoy and will benefit your well-being. Pampering yourself with massages and facials can certainly be considered as self care. If you enjoy them and they make you feel renewed, it's self care. If those don't appeal to you, there are many other forms. In fact, there are actually six different types.
- Emotional
- Spiritual
- Practical
- Mental
- Physical
- Social
Don’t worry – you don’t have to practice all 6 types to see success!
Start off by exploring just one area. This will help you determine what you enjoy and what you don’t. In my husband’s words, “Don’t be a turn up though!” He's notorious for his little words of wisdom. If you haven’t tried it, you can’t really say you don’t like it. I had no idea that I would enjoy mindfulness (mental) and yoga (physical) as much as I do. I gave it a shot and now I love it!
And self-care isn’t selfish. By taking care of your own mental and physical health, you’re able to take care of others more.
If you struggle with taking time for yourself to practice self-care, ask yourself this question – “Who depends on me?”
For me, it’s my husband, my kids, my students… I am able to be the best version of myself when I take care of myself. They will be the first to tell you, when I follow my morning and nightly routines and make time for other activities like reading and journaling, everyone is much happier not just me.
Are you ready to dive in?
I created a quiz that uses your personality to determine which types are best suited to you and your needs.
Take the quiz now and discover your ideal type. Once you have found your type, hop on over to my bucket list of self care activities to try them out!