Tips for Reducing Stress by Taking Care of Your Complete Self

Life has never been more stressful for the average person. While the COVID-19 pandemic and all the stress that went with it has passed, many people find themselves without a job in the post pandemic world. High inflation means people don’t have nearly as much money as they used to, which can lead to significant personal debt and stress.

On top of these issues, there’s the pressure of social media and maintaining a false façade of living a life that’s better than anyone else’s, when in reality, you are under terrific strain just to get through a single day. That’s where taking care of the complete self comes in to play. It begins with taking care of your physical well-being by engaging in a regular exercise program either on your own or with a personal life-coach. But it means a lot more than that too.

According to a recent report by Vey Well Mind, self-care is all about caring for all of your emotional and physical needs. You can indulge in all the stress relief activities out there and still they won’t mean anything unless you are taking care of your whole body. There’s no point in meditation if you haven’t got enough sleep, and there’s no point in hitting the gym three or four times per week if you’re drinking beer and eating Buffalo wings every night.

That said, here are some tips for reducing stress by taking care of your complete self.

Your Physical Self-Care

If you want your body to run efficiently you need to take good care of your body. Since there’s a strong connection between body and mind, when you take care of your physical self, you will feel better emotionally also.

Physical self-care not only includes exercising regularly with a personal trainer, it also includes how you fuel your body with whole foods, how much sleep you get, and how often you engage in medical checkups.

Here are some questions to ask yourself when it comes to your overall physical self-care:

--Is your diet adequately fueling your body?

--Are you getting enough sleep?

--Do you get enough exercise?

--Have you taken total charge of your health and your health care?

Your Social Self-Care

People are social animals. We need to socialize to be healthy. However, it can be difficult to make friends if you are busy with your work and family all the time. But you need to make the time to make friends. After all, close connections are critical to your well-being.

You don’t need to spend all your free time carousing with friends, but you should devote a certain amount of time to your friends. Figure out what amount of social time is optimal for you and your self-care.

Consider the following:

--Do you get enough face-to-face time with your good friends?

--What are you doing to grow your relationships with family and friends?

--Do you rely too much on social media as a replacement for your physical social life?

Social media can harm your emotional well-being since it can cause undo anxiety.

Your Mental Self-Care

The way you think and the thoughts that enter your brain are said to greatly influence your psychological well-being. When engaging in mental self-care you need to do things that keep the mind sharp at any age like reading books, writing in a journal, engaging in crossword puzzles, or even watching inspiring movies.

Mental self-care also involves doing things that make you feel good about yourself such as volunteering, maintaining a healthy internal dialogue, leaning how to accept yourself and even like yourself, and engaging in spiritual practices like going to your church or house of worship. Praying on your own is also a form of mental self-care.

Consider the following when it comes to your metal self-care:

--Are taking the time you need for activities that keep you mentally stimulated?

--Are you taking a proactive approach towards staying mentally fit?

--Are you avoiding negative influences and people even if they are considered family?

Remember, you aren’t much help to anyone else if you don’t help yourself. Be kind to your physical and emotional self and you will be better equipped to be kind to others.

Mary Clark is a recently retired and decorated Colonel in the New York State Troopers. One of

the highest-ranking female law enforcement officials in New York State, she served for more than

three decades. Today she devotes herself to helping others achieve their life goals through a

combination of physical fitness, achieving an optimal mindset, and life balance.