Taking good care of yourself is generally not a problem when everything is running smoothly. But in times of crisis, self-care is the first thing to be dropped. Ironic, because then selfcare is super important. Never before have there been so many burned out people. Taking real good care of yourself happens on different levels: physical, emotional and mental.
PHYSICAL
Taking good care of your body is key. This of course includes exercise and sports in any form. It is important that you practice a sport that suits your body and energy level. And not unimportant: practice a sport you like! In addition, there is nutrition. Eat varied, fresh, unprocessed food and preferably local and organic. Are you familiar with the plate method? This method divides your plate so that half consists of vegetables, a quarter of a protein source and a quarter of carbohydrates (grains, potatoes, pasta or rice). Unfortunately, our diet contains fewer and fewer micronutrients, so supplements can support your lifestyle. Finally, relaxation and adequate sleep is also very important. Do you listen to your body when it indicates it needs rest?
MIND
Self-care is often limited to nutrition and sports, but your mental condition is just as important. You want a fit body and a fit, resilient mind. What is going on in your head? Are your thoughts healthy? Do your beliefs serve you or stop you from living the full potential of your life? It is important that you do not identify with your thoughts. You have thoughts, but you are not them. However, you can become more aware of what you think and change thoughts. It works like this, you have a thought, you get a feeling about it and you will behave accordingly. Feed your mind with inspiration and positive thoughts and keep learning new things, you will see that it benefits your quality of life. You can train your mind in different ways, examples are meditation, journaling (writing down what goes on inside you daily) and mindfulness.
EMOTIONAL
Third, there are emotions and we all have them. There is also nothing wrong with it, imagine we wouldn't feel anything, but where things go wrong is when emotions are ignored or not properly processed. Neglected emotions can lead to physical complaints. Ask yourself the questions: do I allow my emotions to be there? Am I aware of my emotions and am I able to control my and other people's emotions? Do I listen to my feelings when it tries to tell me something? In life we ??all get scars and small or large traumas, do you notice that they get in your way and block you? Then you can call in professional help or talk to a therapist. Be compassionate and loving towards yourself, only then can you really be there for others.