Caring for Others Begins with Caring for Yourself

We all know how important it is to take care of ourselves, yet we so seldom do. We tend to brush our emotions off and shrug our shoulders when it comes to us feeling like we’re struggling. How many times have you heard “just put your big girl panties on” or “suck it up, buttercup’. There’s so many of these little sayings that actually carry so much weight! When said or thought, they force us to downplay our own insecurities, our own misgivings and our own anxieties. They underscore that feeling that we already have about ourselves, which is that we’re not worthy or we don’t have time to feel sorry for ourselves.

However, you really cannot take care of others if you don’t take care of yourself. It’s so much a no-brainer. When you have nothing to give, how do you expect yourself to be able to take care of someone else.

Self-care includes all the things you do to take care of your well-being in four key dimensions – your emotional, physical, psychological, and spiritual health.

When you’re feeling emotional about something, take the time to acknowledge those emotions. Examine where they’re coming from and find a way to deal with them. That could be talking to someone who is professionally trained to help you, or just a chat with someone you trust and who you know will listen and support you. Because most times, when we are emotional about something, we really just need to be heard. We just need someone to listen!

Our psychological health and wellbeing is so vital to our overall welfare. We know ourselves so well and we also know how much we can be affected on a psychological level by things happening in our environment. And if we don’t take care of our psychological or mental health, we know that we’re not going to cope with our lives. During these times, we’re just flat and cannot find it in ourselves to give anything to ourselves, let alone to anyone else. Recognise when these emotions arise, to the degree that they affect your mental health and seek the help that you need, immediately. Please don’t ignore the fact that you need help and the sooner you get back on track from a mental and psychological perspective, the sooner you will feel much more prepared and ready to take on your own life. And that’s when you’ll be able to help others around you who need you.

Your spiritual health is also so incredibly important. When you are in alignment with your higher self and in tune with your true essence, you become calm, you become mentally and physically prepared to do your life. When your spiritual health is being taken care of, that deep connection into the universal consciousness opens doors for you, you never even knew existed and your life just becomes better. And you know that when you are at peace, when you feel at one with the universe, you are taking great care of yourself and you have something to offer the rest of the world.

Here are some simple tips to help you get started with self-care:

Get regular exercise. So good for your body, mind and spirit!
Eat healthy, regular meals and stay hydrated. Contributes to your overall wellbeing and sense of peace!
Make sleep a priority. No-one can operate at optimum levels if they are sleep deprived!
Try a relaxing activity. Meditation!
Set goals and priorities. So important to be in control of your life!
Practice gratitude. Yes!
Focus on positivity. Yes!
Stay connected. To everything – yourself, your relationships, your guides!

If you feel like you’re not coping and cannot find a way to take care of yourself, please let’s talk. Through my spiritual life coaching, I can help you to overcome all the negative talk, the blockages that you create and the thoughts that limit your life. Whatsapp or call 082 570 6473 or email glynis@spiritconnection.co.za I’d love to hear from you!