It's always Time for Self care

Well hello friends!  Happy 2019!  I would like to share an article with all of you, by Brad Krause: "Self Caring".   It is so amazing and rewarding to me, to see more and more people recognizing the need for self-care & self awareness, as a part of healing all of us, not just ourselves.  If you would like to reach Brad, click here for further info!  Thank you Brad, for sharing your time and wisdom with all of us!
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It’s About You: Achieving Good Mental Health Through Self-Care
The soul-crushing stress that so many Americans live with every day takes a tremendous mental and physical toll. It’s no surprise that nearly one in five Americans lives with some kind of mental problem. Clearly, too many of us either don’t have enough time to observe self-care or are simply ignoring the need to maintain a healthy sense of personal well-being. It’s unfortunate, because you can derive a great deal of satisfaction from simple activities that don’t take much time, don’t cost much money and alleviate much of the stress you live under.
Simple relaxation
Are you the kind of person who just can’t sit down and unwind, who always feels the need to be cleaning, balancing your checkbook, doing laundry or feeling like you’re making some kind of personal progress? It’s important to just relax, to just turn off your thought process and veg out every now and then. Watch a little TV. Thumb through a magazine. Surf the internet aimlessly. It’s okay. These are relaxing activities. Even though they don’t amount to much in terms of measurable gain, they do take your mind off things that create stress, that raise your blood pressure and turn your hair grey. Just sitting quietly for awhile and letting your mind wander can have a restorative effect on your health and ability to focus.

Healthy diet
Self-care is also about being a good custodian of your body as well as your mental health. Emphasize vegetables and fruit as well as whole grains and lean protein. Plan balanced meals and prepare them over the weekend if time is too short during the week so all that’s necessary is to heat and serve. Select from a wide variety of foods and recipes so you don’t get bored eating fish, salads and brown rice at every dinner and to increase the likelihood you’ll stick with healthy eating habits - you can even have them delivered straight to your door.
Restful sleep
If you tend to be a skittish person who has trouble relaxing, chances are good you’re also a person who has trouble getting the 7 to 9 hours of restful sleep you need each night to function over the course of a demanding day. Sleep is absolutely essential for good health; it affects nearly every aspect of our lives, including metabolism (which impacts your weight), immune system, memory, cognitive functioning, cardiovascular health and the appearance of your skin. People who don’t get enough sleep have trouble being effective at work, and are more likely to struggle maintaining healthy relationships at work and in their personal lives. If sleep is a problem, try taking a hot bath and getting to bed earlier. Make sure your sleep environment is quiet, dark and cool with no screens or handheld devices left on.
Better air quality
The air around you can be harsh on your body and can cause itchy eyes and a stuffy nose and give you trouble breathing, but it can also greatly affect your mind and mood. When you experience brain fog or feel sad, it’s possible that it’s because you’re breathing polluted air. Investing in a good air purifier can help improve cognitive and happiness levels by reducing the allergens and other pollutants in the air in your home. There’s a variety of purifiers available for your choosing, so take the time to research to find the best one for you.
Setting boundaries
It can be really hard for someone who enjoys being helpful to say “no” in a personal or professional setting. But it’s important to remember you can only do so much for others and that you need downtime to just do something for yourself. Learn to set boundaries, which could be as simple as restricting doing favors to weekdays, and allowing evenings and weekends to be just for you. It’s important, because saying “yes” too often may encourage others to become overly dependent and expect too much from you. You can say “no” without being rude or worrying that you’ll offend someone. Simply explain that your time is limited and that it’s important to set aside time for yourself.
Ultimately, self-care is about feeling good. How you achieve that objective is a matter of personal choice, but it’s essential to do things that just make you feel happy, secure, content and  relaxed. Sometimes, it just needs to be about you.

Courtesy of Pixabay.com.

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