I haven’t posted on here in a little while; so much has happened in just a few short months.
At the beginning of this year I made a vow to change the way that stress and anxiety affects me – to get a grip on it once and for all and to take control.
Self-care was something that had been mentioned to me several times and to be honest, I didn’t take it seriously. I mean, that kind of thing is for other people, right? And surely a hot bath, going for a run or having an early night would surely do the trick, right? Erm….not so much!

I learnt the hard way that self care is something that WE ALL need to take seriously…and here are 6 reasons why:

BEATING THE BURNOUT
Burnout can happen at any time. The only ingredients needed to create the dreaded Burnout Broth are fatigue, being overworked, not feeling supported, feeling like you are doing everything at work/home, losing interest in your hobbies/socialising, losing your appetite…you get the idea.
Self-care can give you some much needed time to refocus, to calm your mind and block out the deafening noise of daily life.

A SENSE OF DIRECTION
The time you spend on self-care can help you to focus on what you want out of life, on what drives you, your passions. A little time out will give you the space and the quiet needed to help you to envisage where you want be heading and what may be blocking your path.

BOOST YOUR SELF ESTEEM
Spending time on self-care helps you to maintain a healthy relationship with yourself as it produces positive emotions that help to kickstart your relaxation response, which in turn, can dramatically reduce the way chronic stress damages your body both inside and out!

IT’S IMPORTANT FOR OTHERS AROUND YOU
Taking time out for yourself reminds those around you that you have needs and they matter. Having a support network around you that respects you and the way you choose to take care of your mind and body is essential.

A BREAK FROM THE DAILY GRIND
We can get caught in the daily grind so easily that we forget what it’s like to have some work/life balance. Self care gives you a well needed break from the chaos that life can throw at you and provide you with some perspective.

GET PERSONAL
Self-care is the best way to get to know who YOU are; to allow yourself to be your true and authentic self. This is important, as it is in this time that you can reconnect to your core values and for some people, this is the only time they get to do this.

Some good self-care strategies are:
1. Have a hot bath – get some of those essential oils out, candles, some chilled out music and bubble your troubles away!
2. Get a massage – the ultimate in relaxation and indulgence
3. Yoga – Yoga is a really good way to loosen up, realign and calm the body and mind
4. Regular exercise – this is always good advice and such an important part of your overall wellbeing
5. Take up a new hobby – this can be a really good way to expand your skill set and find new ways to relax – which in turn will be good for your mental wellbeing!