Sarah Linton
Professional & Personal Coach
Self-Care:
Creating a Sustainable Practice
Self-Care. A common myth that we are about to bust is:
“Self-Care is synonymous with self-indulgence or being selfish.”
Self-Care is far from selfish. It’s more than any bubble bath.
Self-Care is an essential part of being a functional human.
When you hear the term sustainable Self-care – what are your first thoughts?
What comes up for you to understand what it is, how you feel about it and how you might practice it?
Self-Care is vital for our wellbeing
We are in a world where we have one foot always on the accelerator.
We are ‘always on’ with access to technology, making us available in and out of the workday & often operating across time zones
– it’s hardly surprising that we have an epidemic of anxiety, stress, and depression.
Connection
Connection is a vital aspect of being human. COVID lockdowns’ increased isolation and loneliness, and that impacted our relationships with ourselves and others.
Self-Care related to our
Over and Unders
At TOC & the WAVE.co.nz, we see excess and deprivation behaviours resulting from trends and attitudes in our mental and emotional wellbeing
We refer to these as our ‘OVERS’ and our ‘UNDERS.’
The OVERS include:
- Drinking Browsing
- Eating Shopping
- Thinking Giving Self to Others
- Working Medicating
The ‘UNDERS’ include:
- Sleeping
- Happy
- Whelmed
- Caring
- Performing
How many of those do you recognise in yourself?
Many of our changemakers are surprised by the number and the levels of their Overs and their Unders.
These Overs and Under’s often correlate to BURNOUT and a severe lack of self-care.
See our BLOG: Why Am I never enough?
You may wonder how we know this? Simple answer & reality – we experienced it and, over the years, took its toll on our wellbeing, and the research of the last decade endorses what our truth was.
Our heart-led passion is to support others in finding their shortcut to avoid health issues and be your Catalyst in Personal Change and Transformation.
Burnout
In 2019 the WHO – recognised Burnout as an occupational phenomenon
“Burnout is a syndrome conceptualised as resulting from chronic workplace
stress that has not been successfully managed
Three dimensions characterise it:
- feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion;
- increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and
- reduced professional efficacy.”
Burnout solutions need Self-Care at their core.
Sustainable Self-Care
Self-Care is a vitally important foundation for us to bust through our upper boundary limits and create the vitality we desire.
Self-care means taking care of yourself to be healthy, be well, do your job, help, and care for others, and do all the things you need to and want to accomplish in a day.
If you think you’ve heard more about self-care recently, you are absolutely on the money!
And – it’s not related to our last 20 months amidst our pandemic – our world is crying out for a paradigm shift in taking care of ourselves.
One indicator of this is very apparent is Google Trends.
The number of searches for “self-care” has more than doubled since 2015.
Fight – Freeze – Flight
Our brains are wired for fight, freeze & flight under stress rather than rest & reset.
Our brain’s software is out of date for stress conditions for today’s world; we aren’t under threat of immediate death, just like any modern tech we need to update and relearn to help us manage our responses.
Self-care is anything you do to take care of yourself to stay physically, mentally, and emotionally well.
When you take care of yourself – you get more out of your everyday.
6 aspects of Self-Care
To demonstrate how this is more than just a bubble bath, we categorised Self Care into six areas with tips on what you can do for each.
Positive outcomes with a Self-Care
Also, research suggests SELF-CARE promotes positive health outcomes, including these 4:
1) Fostering resilience
2) Living longer
3) Recognising your stressors and being well equipped to manage stress points
4) Reducing anxiety
Gratitude
Moreover, we know the power of cultivating gratitude as a self-care practice.
Taking charge of our thoughts can shift our feelings in a positive direction and improve our attitude.
In turn, that improved attitude can lead to shifts in our behaviours (we are more mindful and become calmer), resulting in improved outcomes.
Can you imagine how that will impact your life?
Can you feel your stress levels drop?
7 Benefits & Outcomes of Self-Care
If you are struggling to get clarity on what you want
– book in with your Catalyst Coach HERE.
We can accelerate your outcomes with you.
Spend time in nature for Self-Care: Disconnect to Reconnect
- A mantra that has been integral to my practice has been to touch nature
– disconnect to reconnect. - Disconnect from everything tech to be able to reconnect with self.
- Self-care can have a positive effect on your mindset and your physical health.
- It requires you to take personal ownership. Self-care is a choice that we commit to proactively take care of your well-being.
It is well worth the time and any financial investment.
Our wish is to remove any stigma that being kind to and taking care of yourself is self-indulgent or selfish.
The most important relationship you have is with yourself.
TOC Quote Galleries
Self Care is a HOT topic and very present for many!
As part of our Quote Gallery Series – we worked one up for Self Care to Nourish your eyes,
Inspire you and assure you that you are far from alone.
Grab a cuppa and check it out HERE.
Current circumstances are all part of our ‘Why?’ for our Ebook as our gift to you.
A free guide to 5 Steps to Create More Time, Get More Sleep & have More energy.
If you would like to go further faster – book a cuppa with your Catalyst Coach HERE.
We can accelerate your outcomes with you.
Remember, sustainable change happens one step at a time. Small Steps Big Impact.
Have fun & take care of YOU,
Takeaways: Self Care
- Sustainable Self Care is an individual pursuit.
- Looks different for everyone.
- Promotes health and sparks joy for you.
- Touches all aspects of our lives
- Disconnect to Reconnect – Nature nourishes so you can flourish
- Is more than any bubble bath
- You are worth it
For your reflection.
What are you noticing about your own self-care?
What is ONE thing you could change?
We love to hear from our community!
Leave your insight or comments below.
