Self-care is one of those terms that, much like yoga pants a few years ago or N95 masks currently, has enjoyed a sudden surge of popularity. But unlike athleisure apparel, self-care is here to stay.
We expect to continue hearing about this most important practice because our modern world has honestly become a lot to handle. The pandemic’s stress this past year, coupled with the proverbial grind we’re all told we should constantly be on, has created a perfect storm for burnout.
Self-Care: the antidote for the burnout blues
What is burnout? For most people, the term brings to mind images of a tired and overworked person. Think Michelle Pfeiffer as Selena Kyle as Catwoman in Batman Returns. Gurrllll you killed it in that latex cat-suit! She always worked at the office late, felt undervalued, and under-appreciated. She resented her job. Still, she couldn’t stop working, and her hair was always a mess. Perfect example of burnout.
Self-Care: the antidote for the burnout blues
What is burnout? For most people, the term brings to mind images of a tired and overworked person. Think Michelle Pfeiffer as Selena Kyle as Catwoman in Batman Returns. Gurrllll you killed it in that latex cat-suit! She always worked at the office late, felt undervalued, and under-appreciated. She resented her job. Still, she couldn’t stop working, and her hair was always a mess. Perfect example of burnout.
It’s important to point out, however that burnout is more than just being tired. It’s a state of exhaustion that transcends normal fatigue. Burnout feels like exhaustion that is emotional, physical, and mental. It can’t be solved by taking a nap, and it can be a seriously dangerous place.
Burnout can put us at increased risk for panic attacks, anxiety, depression, and even greatly affect our physical health. It can compromise our relationships with our friends and family. It’s no wonder then that preventing burnout is one of the main benefits of self-care.
Self-care, self-esteem, & self-love
Self-care can take many shapes and forms. The Oxford Dictionary defines it as “the practice of taking an active role in protecting one’s own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress”. The operative word here is active.
Actively protecting your well-being takes some work. You’re making a thoughtful attempt to engage in activities that promote positive feelings, physical health, supportive relationships, and a balanced mind.
Self-care is also best friends with self-esteem and self-love. They sit at the cool kids’ table, but anyone who wants to join is welcome. All kidding aside, the concepts are inherently linked. Self-care is the outward manifestation of self-love. It’s standard practice for people with solid self-esteem, but even if you’re not feeling all that confident, self-care can help you get your mojo back.
Self-care will improve your professional life.
A robust self-care routine can help us live our best lives, even on the job! If we have enough self-love to look out for our own well-being in consistent ways, then our minds function all that much better. If our minds function better, then we’re naturally more productive.
For some people, self-care involves a focus on their physical well-being. They may focus on getting 8 hours of sleep every night, exercising, or on eating the right foods in the right quantities.
If you have ever had to rush to the office in the morning without breakfast, you know how this can undermine your productivity. Likewise, if you’ve ever been hangry in a long work meeting, you know it’s no fun.
One of the main issues clients discuss in their professional lives is the feeling of being overworked. If an individual is putting in 50, 60, or even 70 hours of work per week, it’s hard to maintain a balanced life with enough time for other healthy habits. A focus on self-care will help the person turn down that extra meeting, leave the office on time, and take a full lunch break.
These seemingly insignificant activities can have a big impact when added up. If you feel like you’re only doing your fair share at work, you get along better with your colleagues, bosses, and clients. You feel good about coming to work, and people notice.
Self-care makes for great parenting & great families.
There’s no question about it – self-care will make you a better mom, dad, son, or daughter. Have you ever heard the expression “If Mom’s not happy, no one’s happy”? Do you remember what it was like in your house as a child if your mother was angry or just in a mood?
Well, if you have kids, they probably know the feeling too! While we’re all going to have our off days, a parent who isn’t looking after their well-being can really dampen the mood. After a while, the parent who ignores self-care can even become a chronic issue for the family system.
On the other hand, the parent who allows themselves to relax, even pampers themselves a little bit, will be more likely to have the emotional balance necessary when dealing with screaming toddlers or hormonal teenagers.
Another benefit of self-care for parenting is the example we set for our little ones. If a child grows up seeing mom or dad practicing self-love in different ways, they are much more likely to do the same. Committing half an hour to a sit-down dinner every night, or going for a walk with your spouse or your kids, are both great self-care techniques. They also model healthy behaviors for children.
Self-care makes for great parenting & great families.
There’s no question about it – self-care will make you a better mom, dad, son, or daughter. Have you ever heard the expression “If Mom’s not happy, no one’s happy”? Do you remember what it was like in your house as a child if your mother was angry or just in a mood?
Well, if you have kids, they probably know the feeling too! While we’re all going to have our off days, a parent who isn’t looking after their well-being can really dampen the mood. After a while, the parent who ignores self-care can even become a chronic issue for the family system.
On the other hand, the parent who allows themselves to relax, even pampers themselves a little bit, will be more likely to have the emotional balance necessary when dealing with screaming toddlers or hormonal teenagers.
Another benefit of self-care for parenting is the example we set for our little ones. If a child grows up seeing mom or dad practicing self-love in different ways, they are much more likely to do the same. Committing half an hour to a sit-down dinner every night, or going for a walk with your spouse or your kids, are both great self-care techniques. They also model healthy behaviors for children.
Self-care improves our romantic relationships.
If you have a special someone in your life, then you know how rewarding (and at times, difficult) these relationships can be. Demonstrating love and affection for another person through our touch, words, and actions can be a vulnerable experience.
But if our internal world is a mess, then what can we hope to offer another? The Self-care and self-love concept means we are tending to our own garden. We protect the flowers that have grown and work to get rid of any pests. But if the weeds become overgrown because we haven’t looked after ourselves, then we have no flowers to give.
Self-care activities like meditation and journaling help us become warmer, more compassionate, and even more thoughtful partners. These practices help us re-conceptualize emotions and make us less reactive. Therefore, when conflict does come up, we can move through it more graciously.
On another more superficial level, most people will agree that nothing is sexier than confidence. Self-care and self-esteem naturally fosters and helps us own who we are. Confidence means we can laugh off our shortcomings and be proud of our attributes, making us much more appealing in a current or potential partner’s eyes.
Self-care activities like meditation and journaling help us become warmer, more compassionate, and even more thoughtful partners. These practices help us re-conceptualize emotions and make us less reactive. Therefore, when conflict does come up, we can move through it more graciously.
On another more superficial level, most people will agree that nothing is sexier than confidence. Self-care and self-esteem naturally fosters and helps us own who we are. Confidence means we can laugh off our shortcomings and be proud of our attributes, making us much more appealing in a current or potential partner’s eyes.
Self-Care is critical for physical health.
Physical health is yet another major benefit of self-care. Sleeping the right amount helps maintain our energy levels. It strengthens our immune system, promotes muscle growth, and improves our mood.
Often when people develop a newfound sense of self-care they will focus on their diet. Rather than fast food or greasy take-out for lunch, they may opt to set aside time on Sunday nights to meal-prep. This activity is the epitome of self-care, because it is both intentional and systematic. A healthy diet can help us feel better and look better, and who can be mad at that?
Making time to simply relax, another self-care staple seems so simple but can have a huge impact on physical well-being. Taking an evening to lounge around and watch light-hearted tv, reading a good book, or meditating can help relieve physical stress.
Self-care, self-esteem & self-love come in all shapes and sizes.
We’ve seen how self-care can benefit us professionally, in our family lives, in our relationships and dating, and even our physical well-being. Ultimately though, what is more beneficial than feeling good? And that is exactly what self-care is for: to make us feel good about ourselves and our lives.
Another excellent way to help ensure that we feel good and practice self-care is through therapy. Working with a trained counselor can help us understand ourselves, pick up on unhealthy patterns, and build new healthier ones.
Few things are as directly targeted forms of self-care as therapy, but these practices really do come in all shapes and sizes:
Physical self-care includes sticking to a healthy diet, getting a full night’s sleep, exercising, seeking medical attention when we encounter an issue or illness, and avoiding unhealthy habits such as smoking or over-drinking.
Emotional self-care can include journaling, meditation, focused relaxation techniques, and taking time to connect with friends and family. Therapy and coaching are a big one here too!
Mental self-care might focus on keeping our thinking and attention in check. We may commit to leaving the office at a regular time, avoid checking work emails after hours, spending mindful time with our children, or limiting our media consumption such as through the internet or tv.
Self-care, self-esteem & self-love come in all shapes and sizes.
We’ve seen how self-care can benefit us professionally, in our family lives, in our relationships and dating, and even our physical well-being. Ultimately though, what is more beneficial than feeling good? And that is exactly what self-care is for: to make us feel good about ourselves and our lives.
Another excellent way to help ensure that we feel good and practice self-care is through therapy. Working with a trained counselor can help us understand ourselves, pick up on unhealthy patterns, and build new healthier ones.
Few things are as directly targeted forms of self-care as therapy, but these practices really do come in all shapes and sizes:
Physical self-care includes sticking to a healthy diet, getting a full night’s sleep, exercising, seeking medical attention when we encounter an issue or illness, and avoiding unhealthy habits such as smoking or over-drinking.
Emotional self-care can include journaling, meditation, focused relaxation techniques, and taking time to connect with friends and family. Therapy and coaching are a big one here too!
Mental self-care might focus on keeping our thinking and attention in check. We may commit to leaving the office at a regular time, avoid checking work emails after hours, spending mindful time with our children, or limiting our media consumption such as through the internet or tv.
Counseling for Self-Care in Ft. Lauderdale
If you’re tired of dealing with anxiety over your job, school, or responsibilities that seem endless, committing to self-care might be just what the doctor ordered. But where to start?
Therapy can help you understand the source of your anxiety or stress. Take concrete steps to better yourself by implementing some self-love and self-care. Cognitive Behavioral therapy, or CBT, is especially effective for learning self-care. It is a brief and solution focused approach to counseling to help you reach your goals. To learn more about Cognitive Behavioral therapy and how it can help you click here.
Remember, we’ve all had those days where a partner, parent, or a boss was super-stressed. They remind us that it’s never fun to be around someone who isn’t taking care of themselves. To avoid being that person for others, it’s time to start looking after yourself.
As a therapist specializing in Cognitive Behavioral therapy right here in Ft. Lauderdale and providing coaching to many across the United States, I understand the importance of self-care. I’ve helped countless people overcome burnout, overwhelm, and anxiety. I will teach you how nourishing it can be to practice self-care, and how you and your loved ones will all benefit!
Regardless of which form of self-care you practice, or which benefit you’re pursuing, it’s important to keep in mind that self-care is a reflection of our self-esteem and the love we have for ourselves. If your parent, partner, or even child needed to know that you cared about them, you would probably jump in to help and show them love. Well, you deserve to feel that same kind of compassion for yourself, and you can demonstrate it by committing to self-care.
Treating Yourself Was Never More Important. Let Me Help You Realize You Deserve It.
With therapy for anxiety, self esteem, or migraines, I can help you build an arsenal of tools you can use to achieve the life you deserve. Believe me. You got this!
Therapy & Coaching at Essence of Healing Counseling Services
Roberta Alves is a Therapist and Development Coach at Essence of Healing Counseling, located in downtown Ft. Lauderdale, FL. She is also a Certified Anxiety Specialist who uses the solution focused and evidence based therapy called cognitive behavioral therapy. Research has shown that cognitive behavioral therapy is proven to be extremely effective in treating anxiety and improving self-esteem. Roberta provides counseling services to her clients who live in Ft. Lauderdale and the surrounding South Florida areas in her office in downtown, and also through telehealth counseling via online video and phone sessions. She also provides coaching services to clients throughout the country via online video and phone sessions. If you want to learn proven techniques to overcome stress, improve your self-esteem, and achieve your goals, call (954) 526-4006 to schedule an appointment today.
