Self-care is of utmost importance in an individual’s physical and mental wellness. The most common recommendations for self-care according to the National Institute of Mental Health include getting regular exercise, eating healthy, being optimistic, and taking time to relax your mind and body. However, what if these techniques don’t really hit the spot for you?
There are other ways to go about it, Happiful, a magazine specializing in mental health and wellbeing, suggests a list of uncommon ideas that you didn’t necessarily think would be categorized as self-care.
Crying: As strange as it may sound, the above-mentioned publication states that allowing yourself to cry occasionally, instead of holding it all inside can actually be therapeutic. This is believed to be the most self-soothing technique. “Back in ancient Greece and Rome, it was believed that tears cleansed and purified us. These days, it’s known that crying releases the feel-good hormone oxytocin and helps soothe stress.” So if you feel a burden in your mind or an overwhelming feeling inside, try crying it out, it might just be exactly whst you need.
Spiritual pursuits: This might not be unusual for others because, “For some people, spiritual activities are a pillar of both their identity and their self-care. Whether it be prayer, attending a place of worship, or engaging with spirituality more broadly, this is something that is transformative for many.” The publication states that while spirituality is a personal practise, it can be a good way to form a community of people with the same goals as you help each other out any way you can.
Worrying: As mentioned before, these strategies are unusual. Imagine having the need to offload stress and you are told to worry. However, Happifull doesn’t encourage worry all the time, instead, it is suggested that you create a specific time to worry about all your problems at once, even write them down, then let them go. “Rather than letting worries haunt you 24/7, dedicate a short amount of time to ponder them. Once that time is up, let go and move on.”
Daydream: We probably think of daydreaming as something only kids should do, but the Self Care Cabin advises that adults too need to run their imagination wild and daydream. “Let your mind wander and dream, and come back to reality with some fresh ideas or inspiration.”
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