Contrary to popular belief, self-care is not just about pampering yourself with the most luxurious products in the market. More than that, self-care is about staying attuned to yourself and knowing what is causing your slump, which in turn helps you figure out how to get out of it.
It is better to do self-care that pays attention to your energy rather than just spending money on what online marketers tell you to buy. Here’s where you should start:
When do you feel happiest?
Your energy easily manifests in your emotions. When you are doing activities you truly love, you feel happiest, and you seem to have an endless amount of energy. Even if you have to do them for hours, you barely notice time passing by. The next day, you feel fulfilled after all the hard work you’ve put into it. By paying attention to these moments of heightened energy and feelings of happiness, you figure out what you can do when you are in a slump.
When do you have a hard time focusing?
It’s not just the highs that will help you figure out the self-care routine that works for you. The lows give you a good idea of what not to do next time. If you have overloaded yourself with a couple of tasks that make it hard for you to focus, perhaps try to space them out better next time. There are some tasks that may only take a few minutes but can be very emotionally draining, such as calling a particular person or even doing your finances. To ease your feelings towards these tasks, balance them with activities that make you feel recharged.
When do you feel smallest?
Your confidence and energy also manifests in your physical appearance. Specifically, it shows in how you take up space. When you’re in your element, you take up more space and open up, whereas when you’re in a slump, you tend to make yourself seem small. Your shoulders are hunched, your arms may be in a defensive position, and you try not to attract attention. When you feel like this, it’s important to give yourself something to look forward to.
When you do feel most beautiful?
One could argue that you can use plenty of products such as a face toner for oily skin or a light sunscreen to feel beautiful, but even with your bare face, you will notice moments when you feel like you shine. These are moments when you are confident and you are not afraid to take risks. If there is a particular product or activity that makes you feel this way, take note of these when you are creating a self-care routine that works best for you.
By asking these four questions, you can get a basic idea of what affects your energy levels in a positive or negative way. Now, work on doing more of the things that make you feel positive and lessen those that make you feel the opposite. This is true self-care.