MINDING SELF: Time For Self-Care - You Deserve It by Dr. Cheryl

In pre-pandemic times, mental health advocates promoted the need for self-care. During and post-pandemic, self-care is and will be needed even more. So, what is selfcare? Self-care is taking care yourself. Family, career, church and other social commitments can drain you. You deserve a break! According to Mental Health America (n.d.), here’s how to get started:

• Live healthy: Eat healthy foods, get enough sleep, exercise regularly, and avoid drugs and alcohol. Manage stress and go for regular medical [and mental health] check-ups.

• Practice good hygiene: Good hygiene is important for social, medical, and psychological reasons in that it not only reduces the risk of illness, but it also improves the way others view you and how you view yourself.

• Connect with friends: Seeing your friends can help in building your sense of belonging. Consider joining a support group to make new friends.

• Find ways to relax: Engaging in meditation, yoga, getting a massage, taking a bath, walking in the woods, [and aromatherapy and stress relief products (example: vanilla; lavender) are great ways to relax. My personal go-to for aromatherapy products is Heavenly Bliss Creations (www.heavenlyblisscreations.com)] (para.8).

• Try doing something every day that you enjoy: Go dancing. Watch a favorite TV show. Plant/work in the garden. Try painting. Read a book you’ve been wanting to read.

In addition, the suggestions above, my alltime favorite is to go on a weekend getaway alone, or with others who are calming and not stressful. These are therapeutic tips* that can refresh and refuel your emotional, mental, and physical health, and restore your sense of balance and overall well-being. Try it! You deserve a break!

Dr. Cheryl *Tips are for educational and informational purpose only.

Reference Mental Health American. (n.d.). Taking good care of yourself. Retrieved from https://mhanational.org/taking-good-careyourself

© 2021 – Dr. Cheryl Merchant – All Rights Reserved.