Self-Care and Self-Growth: Why are they so important?

Self-care and growth are two things we as humans strive for to be the best versions of ourselves. No matter where you are on your journey, every human has room to grow which is such a beautiful thing. This self-work can be very challenging and takes determination and consistency to maintain. This can be more of a challenge for people struggling with any mental illness, but it can be so much more important for that individual. When we struggle with our mental health, self-care can be very difficult. I myself can relate to this. But taking the time to focus on your self can drastically help your mental health.

What is self-care? The exact definition is: The practice of taking action to preserve or improve one’s own health. What this means is taking the time and effort to do things for yourself for your mental and physical health. There are so many ways to practice this, starting with the simplest thing like brushing your teeth every morning. This simple task can be difficult for someone that struggles with depression. But taking the time to focus on one task to work on for your own health can be so beneficial. In the past year, I have taken so much time to focus on this. And let me tell you, I have seen a drastic difference in my mental/ physical health and overall life. Starting to incorporate healthy habits into your life is challenging, I’m not going to lie. It’s not something that happens overnight. And that can be very defeating, and sometimes can make you just want to give up. But I promise you, consistency is going to be so important in the lifestyle change. One thing that I think a lot of people believe is that this lifestyle must be perfect. This isn’t achievable. No human is perfect though social media can make us believe that. Everyone’s journey is different. A healthy habit of mine may not be good for you, and that is okay. You might be thinking, what are some healthy habits I can incorporate into my life? Well, you came to the right place. Here are some examples I have used that have benefited my life in a great way.

A Good Sleep Schedule

Having a sleep steady sleep schedule is my number one habit for good health. I learned on my journey that sleep is a big component in how I feel and my overall mood. My advice is finding out how many hours of sleep you would like to get a night; the average is about 7 hours per night. Do the math. If you have to be up at 7 am every day, try to go to bed around midnight or 11 pm. This way you get the proper amount of sleep for the next day. I incorporated a nighttime routine around the time I go to bed as well. This is so relaxing for me, and I enjoy my alone time at night.

Exercise

Incorporating regular physical activity into my daily life has made an enormous impact on my overall health. This one has always been a little hard for me. I struggle with depression and finding the motivation to exercise can be hard for me. One thing I learned though, is there are many forms of exercise— you just have to find the one you enjoy most. Exercise doesn’t have to be a chore; it can be something you look forward to. Some great examples I love doing is walking, yoga/ stretching or simple ab workouts. But maybe you like to run! Do what feels right for you because you will most likely stick to it. When we exercise our brains release somethings called dopamine and serotonin. These improve mood. It is scientifically proven that this does help mental health. And of course, your body will appreciate this as well.

Journaling

I cannot express this enough… journaling has changed my life. I have always loved to write and draw but once I started journaling, it has helped me so much. When I tell people this, a lot of them say that they don’t know what to write about. The answer is writing anything and everything. Get creative with it! Start with what you did that day. How did you feel? What made you anxious? What made you smile? Start with that and just keep writing. Set a time aside every day to take time to write. Even if its 5 minutes a day. Set an alarm, create it into a habit. It’s proven that it takes 21-28 days to form a habit. Then it will start to come naturally, and you won’t even think twice. Buy a cute journal and start writing.

Balance

As humans we naturally crave balance and routine. We just are made like that. I was at a point in my life where I had none of this. I have bipolar disorder, so I was so used to everything in my life going up and down, nothing consistent. Once I found a routine that fit my lifestyle and stuck to it, I saw so much improvement. Balance is a big one. Work, school, social life, self-care, family time, physical activity and down time are all things we need. Balancing all of that can be hard. For me personally, I feel like all I did was work. I had to purposely plan my days to make sure I am seeing friends, go to the gym and most important making sure I have time to relax. Getting a planner and seeing the layout of your week and making time for everything can be so helpful.

One amazing thing is that all of this is a constant thing we all work on. Even if you’re sitting here reading this and thinking to yourself… I don’t do any of this, that is okay. These are just four examples; the list goes on and on. Pick one thing this week to start and practice. The best time to start is right now. Starting your self-growth journey will help enhance your quality of life, help you realize your dreams and work on them, develop good character, and overall see life in a new, beautiful perspective. Happiness is achievable; never lose hope. Everyone is capable of living a healthy, balanced life. Start working on it today.