Self-Care

Self-care is simply about caring for yourself—recognizing and respecting how you feel, what you need, what you want, and what you prefer. It's the practice of tuning into your own well-being and making choices that prioritize your mental, emotional, and physical health. Whether it's taking a moment to breathe deeply, making time to do your favorite hobby, setting limitations, being more active, or allowing yourself to rest, self-care is about valuing your own needs and desires.

It's about treating yourself with kindness and compassion, listening to your own needs, and responding with thoughtful actions. At its core, self-care is the beautiful act of acknowledging that your well-being matters, and taking deliberate steps to nurture it in everyday life.

The Main Elements of Self-Care

We all need balance and to fuel each aspect of ourselves. Make sure you're balancing each of these self-care spaces:

Social
Family
Faith/Nature
Physical/Health
Productivity (work/school)
Self-development
Fun

For Men

Men may have different self-care needs or ideas than women due to societal or biological factors. Traditionally, men have been encouraged to embrace stoicism, self-reliance, and physical toughness, which can influence their approach to self-care. This could mean prioritizing physical activities, hobbies that promote a sense of achievement, or socializing in ways that reinforce camaraderie and playful fun. Understanding and respecting these differences helps ensure that real self-care is effective and meaningful for everyone, acknowledging that each person's needs and preferences are unique.

Get physical! Pick something that feels fun and/or gives you a sense of pride. Pickle-ball, running, or even a landscaping project can be great self-care.
Spend time with friends who are exactly what you need. It's okay to take a break from sarcastic prankster of the group.
Spend family time (with parents, kids, or siblings) doing things that sound good to YOU, not just them. Start a nerf gun fight or go camping with the ones you love.
Spend quiet time in nature or in faith. Grab your favorite drink and take a walk by the lake, river, or creek in your area. Skip some rocks or just relax.
Make sure you are doing something productive. If you're a manager at work, this is especially important. Do something in your life that shows progress. Learn a new skill!
Have some fun! Axe-throwing, off-roading, going to comic-con, just find something that makes you laugh and feel a little lighter.

For Women

Women often have different self-care needs and ideas than men, and that's okay. Historically, women have been caretakers, balancing roles at home, work, and within their communities, which can shape their approach to self-care. Social pressures and expectations around appearance, behavior, and roles make it especially important to carve out time for activities that nurture self-esteem and personal fulfillment.

Get Physical! If you like feminine stuff, take a Barr or yoga class, if you like to break out of that role, go paint-balling or chop some wood. There are no rules with physical self-care except your own preferences.
Spend time with friends who are exactly what you need. Be mindful about which friends meet your need to gossip and be a bit negative vs friends who are positive and outgoing. Both are great, just know what you want in that moment.
Spend family time (with parents, kids, or siblings) doing things that sound good to YOU, not just them. Take the family to a splash pad you love, make a date with your sibling for happy hour, or put on your favorite Disney movie for some cuddle time.
Spend quiet time in nature or in faith. Grab your favorite drink and take a walk by the lake, river, or creek in your area. Skip some rocks or just relax.
Make sure you are doing something productive. If you're a manager at work, this is especially important. Do something in your life that shows progress. Learn a new skill!
Have some fun! Comedy clubs, top-golf, rage-rooms, going to comic-con, just find something that makes you laugh and feel a little lighter.