In the month of all things “LOVE,” we wanted to highlight the importance of SELF-LOVE! Maybe some of you have made a vow or resolution to make self-care a priority in the new year.  After a year like 2020, we could probably all benefit from a little self-care!

Included in the World Health Organization’s definition of self-care is “the ability of individuals, families and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a health-care provider.”

Some forms of self-care can include taking part in daily, weekly, or monthly health measures:

• Self-examinations (breast, prostate, skin)
• Daily habits (teeth brushing, bathing, grooming)
• Diet (including water intake!)
• Physical activity (cardio, resistance training, or another preferred/combined form of work-out)
• Mental health (meditation, relaxation, breathing exercises)

These are things that we can do on our own to limit health conditions and prevent a decline in function!

Part of taking care of ourselves also means doing things that bring us JOY and this will look different for everyone. This month, we will have a few blogs covering heart-healthy recipes, yoga poses, cardio activities, and a “How To” on couples massages, all of which represent different forms of self-care!

Here are some additional ideas to get you started:

• Go for a walk/hike/run
• Keep a gratitude journal
• Talk with a friend
• Get a massage
• Take a nap
• Read a book
• Dance
• Cuddle with a pet
• Take a bath or long shower
• Do a craft
• Listen to music
• Sit outside and listen to nature
• Play with your kids
• Color
• Make a list of 10 things you like about yourself**

**Confession, I have done this last one and it can be difficult!

When I was younger, my mom made me create this list (I must have been having a tough day/week).

When the list was completed, she then made me post it up on my wall by my bed where I’d see it at least a couple of times a day.  While I probably didn’t look at the list as much as I should have (mostly due to feeling bashful about it), just the act of physically writing the list on paper helped to plant these positive thoughts in the back of my head.

Sometimes I’d pull them back to the fore-front when I was starting to feel my thoughts drift into self-destructive mode!

So, my challenge?

Create your list of 10 things! Put them in the “notes” section of your phone. Post them on your mirror or wall. Or just keep them in a safe place in the drawer where you can refer to them when needed.

Whatever you do, just put them in writing/text!  In times of need, remind yourself of this list and bring the positive thoughts back to the forefront of your mind again!

Improving our mental health and self-image is another form of self-care.

After all self-care IS SELF-LOVE!!