You navigate life with a big heart and much to give but I imagine this has come at a cost. Ask yourselves these questions, am I experiencing burnout, fatigue, frustration, and or a lack of interest in life or hobbies unique to me? While these symptoms can be a result of other issues, the first step is evaluating your self-care and acknowledging where growth is needed. A growth mindset allows us to remain fluid offering us a chance to make the most of all life has to offer.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (2024), self-care plays a role in each aspect of our life and without proper balance things can quickly slip out of our grasp. Lack of care for ourselves puts us at risk for much more serious complications such as family dysfunction, addiction, and other mental health complications that were not present in the past (National Institute of Mental Health, 2024). Heo et al. (2023) indicate self-care needs to be tailored to each individual for it to be effective long-term. Therefore, self-exploration plays a key role in understanding what reenergizes us and how completing these tasks can change our physical, mental, emotional, and even spiritual health.

At WellConnect, one of the many tasks a counselor has is to address a client’s basic needs which often include good sleep hygiene, appropriate eating habits, and overall health and wellbeing. A common concern I hear from clients is ‘I just don’t have the time to focus on myself, other people need me.’ My response usually includes, ‘How is that mentality working out for you so far?’ Just because you carry stress and responsibility well, it doesn’t mean it’s not heavy. Start by choosing one area or task you would like to complete at least once a week where you are the main priority- no one else. Start completing this task regularly and track how you feel. Once you feel confident you can maintain this task, add another, and another, until you reach the version of yourself you were always meant to be. Self-care can mean many things- check out the graphic below for new ideas on how to care for yourself long-term.

References

Heo, S., Shin, M., Lee, M. O., Kim, S. H., Rudolph, J., Jun, S., An, M., Ounpraseuth, S., & Kim, J. (2023). Factors related to patients’ self-care and self-care confidence in Korean patients with heart failure and their caregivers: A cross-sectional, correlational study. The Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 38(2), 140-149. https://doi.org/10.1097/JCN.0000000000000922

National Institute of Mental Health (2024). Caring for your mental health. U.S. Department ofMental Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/caring-for-your-mental-health