As humans, we have many roles to fill: mother, father, husband, wife, son, daughter, etc. Even though we fill these roes, we are still responsible for taking care of and maintaining our personal overall wellbeing. Often, we place our roles above this very important task believing that our families, work, and friends are getting the best version of ourselves. However, there is one thing we must not forget: In order to help/take care of others, we have to take care of ourselves first. A harder concept to abide by, but one that is very important. There are many areas to consider when addressing our wellbeing. In this blog, I will focus on what I consider to be the top four: Physical Health, Mental Health, Emotional Health and Spiritual Health.
1. Physical Health. This is exactly what you think it means. Taking care of our body is more important than you may realize. Scheduling annual physicals, following doctor’s orders and exercising are the most common ways to take care of physical health. However, this includes eating nutritiously, maintaining a healthy sleep cycle and drinking water! In youth, we take for granted how the body works, but over time our bodies become less forgiving the older we get. Making it even more important to take care of it!
2. Mental Health. Contrary to popular belief, mental health pertains to everyone, not just a select few. Ignoring our emotions or attempting to “sweep it under the rug” is just a temporary fix that never last and usually comes out in ways we are not intending. Being able to talk openingly about issues is part of taking care of mental health. For some of us, this means talking with a counselor or taking medications. Whatever your regime is, remember our emotions are what make us human beings in the first place.
3. Emotional Health: Be assertive. Life teaches us to care for one another, share our things and to look out for everyone. Those are not bad lessons. However, no one taught us balance. The ability to say “no” when you need to, not to apologize for things you have no business apologizing for and being able to speak up about needs and wants are qualities that are necessary to maintain a positive wellbeing. Sometimes, it can be easy for to put others ahead of ourselves, deny what makes us happy and even feel stepped on. Remember, it is not what you say, but rather how you say it that’s important.
4. Spiritual Health. Spiritual health is not necessarily religious practices, although it is for some of us. Simply put, spiritual health allows us to be kind to ourselves. Often, life can be overwhelming with work and family demands. We forget to take personal time for ourselves and sometimes feel guilt or shame for having done so. Don’t forget to enjoy the little things that bring you joy, such as meditation, exercising, creative projects, etc. These activities help us to stay focused, grounded and so much more. It is okay to enjoy time for yourself. This allows your overall wellbeing to thrive.
On a side note, do not take yourself too seriously. Being able to relax and laugh at yourself goes a long way. Seeing the humor and letting things go is our natural ability to take care of ourselves and in essence take care of others. Begin your day with a good joke or affirmation to help get off to a great start. Be mindful to put yourself first, so you continue to do great things!
By: Sabrina Pratt
LPC