Category: Self Care

Treat Yourself As You Would A Friend

Post author By Admin
Post date July 8, 2021
No Comments on Treat Yourself As You Would A Friend

Would it surprise you if I told you that one of the best ways to gain a positive and optimistic outlook is by practicing some self -compassion.

Frequently people confuse self-compassion with self-indulgence or even selfishness. But being kind to yourself is just as important as being kind to others, if not more so.

1 Self-Compassion Makes You More Optimistic

Being kind to yourself means you can stop that vicious cycle of self-blame and recrimination. It prevents you from ruminating on past mistakes and builds your resilience and confidence so you can pick yourself up and get back on track.

When you start giving yourself more kindness and encouragement, you will find you mood lifts, your anxiety levels drop and you will become more hopeful and optimistic about the future.

2 Cultivate Mindfulness

Perhaps the best way to start your self-compassion practice is to adopt a more mindful attitude to life. Being mindful focuses on the now – accepting where you are right now in life and accepting yourself as you are right now. With all your faults and all your glory. Accept that whatever you’re experiencing and feeling in the present moment is okay.

Mindfulness and self-compassion help you to overcome denial and hesitation in your reality. It allows space for hope to come in.

3 Accept that Hard Times Are Part of the Deal

We all have good time, bad times and hard times. Often the bad things that happen are out of your control. All you can do is decide how you’re going to react. Will you be overwhelmed, or will you be angry? Or will you accept and learn from your experiences, and then formulate a plan to start over?

In times of fear or illness or natural disasters or any other of life’s stressors, self-compassion allows you to take guilt or blame out of the equation and deal with whatever you’re faced with.

4 Treat Yourself As You Would A Friend

Some and pause for a moment to reflect on your reactions. What is your self-talk saying to you? Are you reassuring yourself that things will work out okay, or are you beating yourself up for something you did or didn’t do? Would you talk to your best friend like that? How would they feel?

Be as gentle in your self-talk as you would to a loved one who is in crisis. Be loving and kind, and reassuring. Give you self some compassion and some encouragement so you can help yourself get back on track towards better times.

Tags being kind, friends, self-compassion, treat yourself as you would a best friend, treat yourself with comapssion

Mindset/Strenghts Self Care

5 Simple Ways to Improve Your Ageing Process

Post author By Ally
Post date June 21, 2021
No Comments on 5 Simple Ways to Improve Your Ageing Process

Everyone grows older, but that doesn’t mean the aging process can’t be improved.

Are you aging well?

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines actively aging well as the process of increasing and improving opportunities for health, participation, and security to enhance a person’s quality of life.

You can improve your aging process by focusing on your physical, mental, and emotional health.

Grip Strength

According to a study in Clinical Interventions in Aging, grip strength is related to multiple health and happiness markers. Improving your grip strength can also improve your:

Upper Limb Function
Overall Strength
Fine Motor Skill
Cognitive Ability
Emotional State

Good grip strength allows you to age well and remain active and independent. To strengthen your grip strength, try this exercise:

Squeeze a squish or tennis ball with your whole hand 5 to 10 times
Repeat using only your thumb and index finger.
Repeat using your thumb and each other finger.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Being overweight or underweight puts you at risk for chronic diseases, health conditions, and potentials falls and fractures. Doctors determine weight based on your Body Mass Index (BMI). Your BMI is a calculation of your body fat based on your height and weight. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), your weight status is determined by your BMI. The levels of weight status are:

BMI Weight Status

Below 18.5 – Underweight

18.5—24.9 – Normal

25.0—29.9 – Overweight

30.0 and Above – Obese

Researchers have determined that a BMI of 25 or more is a risk for chronic disease and poor health. To maintain a healthy weight, the CDC recommends that your diet contains:

Fruits
Vegetables
Whole Grains
Lean Protein Sources
Low Fat
Low Sodium
Little Added Sugars

Lean protein sources include fish, poultry, eggs, legumes, and soy products. Low-fat foods should be low in saturated and trans fat and cholesterol. Talk with your doctor about how many calories you need every day and plan your diet within that allowance.

Stay Active

Your activity level helps you maintain good muscle mass, strength, and bone density. According to a study in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science, adults age 52 and older tend to have a decreased activity level, leading to poorer health outcomes. The CDC recommends older adults engage in:

150 Minutes a Week of Moderate Intensity Aerobic Activity
2 Days of Strength Training a Week
Activity as Tolerated

If you have health problems, talk with your doctor about what activities are safe for you. Be as active as possible and increase your activity level as you grow stronger. Staying active helps you age well by improving your:

Posture
Stamina
Strength
Independence

Exercise Your Brain

According to a study in Scientific Reports, cognitive training improves brain function. The more you use your brain, the better your overall health and quality of life. Studies in the journals Nature and PLoS Medical show that good cognitive function may reduce the risk for dementia. Try exercising your brain with these activities:

Jigsaw Puzzles
Sudoku
Learn a New Language
Art Classes or Crafts
Nature Walks

Socialize

As people age, the opportunities for social contact may decrease. A report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine found that one in four adults age 65 and older are socially isolated. The report also found that social isolation increases the risk for:

Hearth Disease
Stroke
Depression
Anxiety
Suicide
Dementia
Premature Death

You can improve your aging process by staying socially connected and active. You may find social connections through:

Joining a Book Club or Other Hobby Group
Volunteering
Writing Letters to Family and Friends
Email or Social Media

Improving your aging process helps you be more independent, increases your cognitive ability, and builds social connections. There are many simple ways to improve your aging process and quality of life.

Tags ageing, aging, slow the ageing process

Self Care

The Reality of Self-Care

So, how well do you look after yourself?

Before you answer that, answer this – do you look after yourself?

Now, your immediate response is probably to guffaw. Of course, I look after myself! What an absurd question!

Is it really that absurd?

List all of the ways you act in order to look after yourself.

That’s where it gets tricky.

Self-care has to be deliberate. It’s a deliberate act that you carry out to positively influence your emotional, physical or mental health. It’s a simple concept. Which is why it’s so frustrating to discover just how many people overlook it.

Practicing self-care can help you relieve anxiety, improve your mood, and even improve the relationships you have with others (and yourself).

It’s just as important that you know what self-care isn’t.

Self-care shouldn’t be something that you force yourself to do. It shouldn’t be something you don’t enjoy. It should be something that adds to you, not takes away from you.

Self-care is not selfish. It isn’t just about thinking about your needs, but knowing exactly what is necessary to meet those needs. By doing this you act in your best interest and you’re also taking steps to improve the lives of others, too. By taking care of yourself, you will be better at taking care of others. See, it’s simple?

If you want to live a balanced life, then self-care is an important piece of the puzzle. So, where do you start? There are three rules when it comes to making self-care a reality.

The Basics

You don’t have to complicate things too much as you get started. You’ll slip into a rhythm and routine in time. As you do this you will identify more acts of self-care that work for you and you can implement these as you uncover them.

Active Planning

You have to plan your acts of self-care. Self-care won’t just happen if you don’t go out of your way to do it. Self-care must be an active choice that you make, you have to treat it this way. Add activities to your diary, announce plans in advance to make it stick, and look for new and interesting opportunities to practice self-care.

Conscious Mind

If you don’t view it as self-care, then it’s not going to serve you the way self-care should. Be more aware of what actions or decisions you make, why you make them, how they feel, and the outcome of them, too.

It means different things to everyone, but the reality of self-care is that a basic checklist is one-size-fits-all.

• Write out a list of things you know you don’t want to do. So, it could be attending parties you can’t stand, answering your phone during meals or checking your inbox outside of working hours. If you don’t like it… don’t do it.

• Follow a healthy, balanced diet.

• Sleep well.

• Exercise regularly – be sure to mix up cardio and strength exercises.

• Visit your doctor for checkups. If there are certain tests required for your age group, then make sure you take care of them as required.

• Practice meditation, yoga or deep breathing.

• Spend time with the people you love.

• Do something every day that provides you with relaxation.

• Do something every day that you love – at least one thing per day.

• Take every opportunity to laugh.

This is by no means an exhaustive list. However, the checklist above is the bare minimum of self-care. This is something that we should all be doing in a bid to properly care for ourselves.

Tags self care

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