Supportive Self-Care Strategies + Benefits

Creating sustainable and supportive self-care can require some simple – and impactful – mindset shifts. Use these self-care strategies to get started!

Self-care is a powerful practice that can meet you where you need support the most. These days, self-care has become a commercialized product and something you must purchase to get access to.

That’s not the case.

Learn more about how these self-care strategies can empower you to create your unique self-care practice, one that genuinely supports your holistic needs.

What is a self-care strategy?

I believe that a self-care strategy includes a series of plans and mindset shifts that, together, create a sustainable and realistic self-care practice.

An essential part of creating a self-care strategy is understanding that self-care is more than face masks and bubble baths. True self-care requires physical, emotional, and spiritual care. All three must work together to create happiness, reduce stress, and promote overall wellness.

The difference between a self-care plan and a self-care strategy is that a strategy contains smaller plans and action-items all in one place.

To create a truly impactful self-care practice, it’s essential to consider the below mindset shifts. Remember these as part of your self-care strategy moving forward, as they could help you navigate some of the roadblocks that come with prioritizing self-care.

I feel guilty making time for myself…

For those struggling to create self-care, guilt is a familiar feeling and one that usually doesn’t go away. What’s important is to remember that the goal isn’t to get rid of your guilt completely; it’s to realize that your wellbeing is more important than temporary feelings of discomfort.

Consider this: the more you care for yourself (in ways both big and small), the more compassionate, happy, and grounded you will be. What type of person do you want to show up as in life?

Read next: Tips on Overcoming Self-Care Guilt

There’s not enough time for self-care…

When I hear people say they “don’t have enough time” for something, I ask them to consider where they’re spending the most amount of time on things they don’t really need to do on their own.

Consider this: is there a place in your life that you could ask for support on or say No instead of Yes? Creating self-care isn’t about having ample amounts of time; it’s about prioritizing the time that you do have.

I don’t want to spend money on self-care…

And you shouldn’t! Self-care doesn’t have to cost a penny and can still be effective. It’s not about buying a new face mask, it’s about getting back in touch with your physical, emotional, and spiritual needs as an individual and making choices that honor those requirements.

Consider this: think of three ways that you can create self-care right now without spending any money. Here are some ideas to get you started.

• take a few deep breaths
• turn off your phone for thirty minutes
• go for a walk outside
• ask someone for help on something
• say No to a task you can’t take on

Read next: Free (or Almost Free!) Self-Care Ideas

Crafting your advanced self-care strategies

When it comes down to creating your self-care strategy, there are two crucial things to keep in mind.

For starters, remember that self-care doesn’t (and dare I say shouldn’t) look the same every day. Just as your needs change day-to-day, so can your self-care in order for it to be supportive.

Also, consider re-framing your self-care practice into a necessity instead of a luxury. Creating care for yourself is critical to your health and happiness.

Start by creating your self-care strategy by asking yourself the below questions:

1. What feelings do I hope to achieve through self-care?
2. How much time (realistically) can I create in my day for self-care?
3. Am I a routine-driven person, or is following my intuition more suitable for me?

Once you have your answers, begin to construct the strategy for your self-care. Consider activities that you could layer in the morning, noon, and night depending on what you hope to achieve and how much time you have available.

How do you know your plan is working?

Is there a way to measure the success of your self-care strategy? Well, self-care is completely subjective, as is determining the success of it.

I believe that even thinking about self-care is a success. It may seem silly, but having self-care on your mind shows that you’re aware of your needs. That’s a huge accomplishment! Many people live stressed-filled lives and find themselves in a state of burn out because they don’t even think of self-care part of their day.

If you’re looking for definitive ways to measure the success of your self-care strategy, here are some points to ponder:

• Do you notice an improvement in your mood after completing your self-care? Keep it up!
• Does your self-care stress you out or feel like something to add to your to-do list? Consider shifting your internal dialogue around self-care.
• Do you feel more in touch with your needs and requirements for happiness? Way to go!
• Are you less snappy and frustrated with those around you? It sounds like you’re doing a great job!
• Are you finding yourself running out of time? Think about what you can move around in your day to help re-prioritize self-care.

Ultimately, your self-care strategy is as unique as you are.

Keep in mind that self-care is a dynamic and adaptable practice, one that you can mold to fit your specific needs at any given time. What’s the most essential is that you are merely becoming more aware of how you’re feeling and why, and then feel confident (and worthy!) enough to take steps forward into creating self-care.

• 

•