How to Practice Self Care in an Integrated Way
Self care is a lifelong practice. It is not something that we can do once and be done with; it requires continual consideration and integration into our daily lives. There are a variety of self care exercises and mindful practices that can help us to embody self care on the daily. This worksheet is one way of checking in with how well we are caring for ourselves, inviting us to reflect on how we can better care for ourselves:
- Emotionally
- Physically
- Financially
- Relationally
- Spiritually
If you’re curious about how to practice self care, consider the following self care exercises and tips.
5 Mindfulness Exercises for Self Care
1. Daily or Weekly Check-Ins
One way to develop self care as an embodied practice is to have regular check-ins with yourself to assess how well you are caring for yourself in each of the five domains listed above. Where one aspect of your being is presently being neglected, brainstorm how you might nurture that part of yourself.
2. Time Out to Tune In
Regular mindfulness or meditation practice is a great way of slowing down and tuning in with ourselves. When we tune in on a regular basis, we become better able to see when we are falling out of balance. This is one of the best self care exercises you can adopt.
3. Explore Mindfulness Exercises for Self Love
One of the reasons we don’t always care for ourselves is because we lack (in a particular moment) a fully embodied sense of self worth and love. Mindfulness exercises for self love and self worth may prove to be helpful.
4. Create a Daily Self Care Routine
Even if it is only for 15 minutes each morning, creating a self care routine can help to make this a priority. A self care routine might consist of meditation, creative expression, dancing, physical activity, mindful movement, healthy eating, or anything else that makes you feel your best. Be creative and allow this daily routine to flow as your needs shift. If you’re interested in how to practice self care on the daily, this is a crucial one.
