March 29, 2024

The Importance of Self Care for Health & Stress Management Take Care of Yourself: You Deserve It!

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Many of us have so many responsibilities in life that we forget to take care of ourselves. And while it’s hard to prioritize something like taking a bath when you have so many other priorities in life, self care is an important aspect of stress management. A massage, soak in the tub or other forms of pampering revitalize you inside and out. And taking time out to treat your body like the temple it is has other benefits:

Self Care and You Physical Health:
While self-pampering doesn’t always lead to major improvements in overall health the way healthy diet and exercise do, the relaxation you get from it can trigger the relaxation response, which can prevent chronic stress from damaging your health, so in a sense, self-care is good for you inside and out.

Self Care and Your Emotional Health:
Taking time out to care for yourself can remind you and others that you and your needs are important, too. Having a well-cared-for body can make you feel good about yourself and your life, and conveys to others that you value yourself. This can contribute to long-term feelings of wellbeing.

Self Care Makes You a Better Caretaker:
People who neglect their own needs and forget to nurture themselves are at danger of deeper levels of unhappiness, low self-esteem and feelings of resentment. Also, sometimes people who spend their time only taking care of others can be at risk for getting burned out on all the giving, which makes it more difficult to care for others or themselves. Taking time to care for yourself regularly can make you a better caretaker for others.

Taking a few hours for a spa experience and some much-deserved self care is also an effective way to manage stress for the following reasons:

A Break from Stress:
Taking a break amidst a tub of warm bubbles or under the warm hands of an experienced masseuse can help you feel like you’re escaping a stressful reality and taking a mental and emotional vacation. As I mentioned, it triggers the relaxation response, and allows you to come back to the reality of your life feeling refreshed and relaxed.

Time Alone: 
While different people have varying degrees of introversion and extroversion, having some time along is important for most people’s functioning. When you’re relaxing by yourself, it’s much easier to slip into a state of quiet meditation, enjoy some self-reflection, or let your problems work themselves out in the back of your mind, without taking all of your focused concentration.

Soothing Feelings:
Giving your body some special treatment is a natural way to relieve stress. Other than keeping your skin soft and your body in good repair, spa-related activities like massage and warm baths have been known to sooth even small colicky babies like nothing else. Such activities continue to be effective tools for relaxation as we get older, but we sometimes forget to utilize them.

Once you’ve decided it’s time to start nurturing yourself and your body with some spa treatments, be sure to block off some time where you won’t be interrupted. Then you can put on some soothing music, and try some or all of the following suggestions:

  • Take a Bath: Get out the bubbles, oils and scented soaps, and soak until you’re wrinkled. 
  • Deep-Condition Your Hair: While you’re in the tub, put on a deep-conditioning treatment for your hair, and let it work as you relax.
  • Deep-Clean Your Pores: With a nice clay masque, you can draw impurities out of your skin and stress out of your system.
  • Care For Your Feet: After you soak your feet to soften calloused skin, use a pumice stone to slough off dead skin, and finish with a rich foot cream, and perhaps polish.
  • Nourish Your Skin: Rich, luxurious creams smell wonderful and feel smooth, especially if you exfoliate your skin in the tub before putting them on.
  • Tend to Your Nails: Correct the beating your nails probably take from your busy life (especially for those of you who bite your nails!) by filing and buffing. A coat of polish on can make you feel like a princess for days afterward. (This is probably more for my female readers.)
  • Get a Massage: This one can be especially nice. If your budget doesn’t allow for regular massages with a professional, see if you can trade with a friend or your spouse, or use an electronic massager.

In addition to pampering yourself, more substantial forms of self care involving healthy lifestyle choices are important, too. Consuming a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, and being sure you get enough sleep are all important for long term health and stress management as well.

 

By , About.com Guide

Updated July 12, 2007

About.com Health’s Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board

 

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7th Grader’s Perspective on Hawaii Retreat – School Report!!!

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Our Dare to Live Challenge Hawaii Retreat this past November 2012 had a beautiful impact on all the participants and facilitators. To be able to spend time with friends and family…..will be remembered for a lifetime!!! It was very eye opening to have my daughter share this report she turned in and learn more about her perspective. I was envious of her midnight run to the volcano (over 4 hour trip) to see and play with active lava. Looking forward to your comments 🙂

The Legend of Hawaii

              Madam Pele is a goddess of fire, lightning, dance, volcanoes and violence. Pele is also known for her creative power, passion, purpose, and profound love. She has thirteen sisters and three brothers. They are all gods and goddesses. Pele is the goddess of Hawaii.

A long time ago, her father banished her from Tahiti, due to her hot temper. Pele was always getting into fights with her older sister, Na-mako-o-Kaha’i. She is the goddess of the sea, obviously fire and water would not get along. Pele canoed across the sea in search of a new place to live, that’s when she stumbled upon Hawaii.

On Hawaii, Pele created many fiery volcanoes. Pele was unaware that her sister had followed her to Hawaii. So, every time Pele created a volcano, her sister flooded the island and burnt out the fire.  This had happened many times, until Pele and her sister had one huge fight and finally, Pele was free from her sister. It is said that Pele’s spirit lives in Kilauea volcano (one of the most active volcanoes in the world). According to legend, Pele lives in the Halemaʻumaʻu crater of Kīlauea. The legend also says, if any visitors take her volcanic rock, she will curse you until you have returned it back to her.

In Hawaii, I’ve built a relationship with Pele. Once I realized that Hawaii is a sacred place, I was able to connect with the Island in a way no words would describe. I’ve discovered, when you go to Hawaii, you learn a lot about yourself. Also, that Pele has something to tell everyone that goes on her island. It might be advice; it could be her helping you let go of something you’ve been holding on too. It’s different for everyone. If Pele is trying to tell you something and you aren’t letting you’re self hear it, sometimes, she makes you hear it. I’ve seen it in many ways just from the two week I was there. A women Veronica, something went on in her head that made her want to run freely on the dried lava, she tripped and cut herself up. In the process of her healing, she learned what Pele was trying to help her let go of something she had been holding on to for decades. Another women Regena, she stepped on a hot coal and she got a huge blister on her foot that wouldn’t let her walk. She realized Pele was trying to tell her that it was time for her to be helped and it’s not her responsibility to help everyone else. There are a couple of more people that had an experience like that, too.

In my experience there, I’ve learned to be more aware of what I’m doing; be conscious of what I say. I’ve also learned to let go of my past and stay in the present. Pele made Hawaii a magical place and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to go there.

Makayla Burnett   www.facebook.com/makayla.s.burnett  Mr. Washington – Civics at Odyssey Charter School.

Proud Mommy next to the Kilauea – The most active volcano in the World!!!

To join the next Dare to Live Challenge Hawaii Retreat on June 9-15th go to www.DaretoLiveChallenge.com, email info@ConsciousLivingPublishing.com or call 321-549-2128.

Ask about our payment options and  scholarship programs 🙂

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