The Importance of Selfcare in 2021

2020 brought a huge amount of uncertainty and fear into our lives. Many people are still trying to recover from the pandemic; many will have this struggle for the next few years. Never before have we experienced this extent of world-wide fear. The pandemic, compounded with the actions of particular people, have created a balancing act of emotional distress and emotional exhaustion. These complex emotions have continued into 2021, amid continuous strife.

This year, it is more important than ever to apply selfcare to our routines. If we are unable to practice or dedicate time to it every day, there are studies which suggest that even one time a week or five minutes a day, can be beneficial for stress and anxiety. Further, selfcare is known to heavily benefit work production, as the reduced stress makes for faster and more efficient overall health.

There are many ways that you can practice selfcare and usually the most relaxing and effective ways are the ones which you are already drawn to. Often, the activities that you currently participate in, and that bring you joy, tend to also be your favorite way to practice selfcare. That can mean playing a sport, taking a bath, or speaking with like-minded people. But not everyone knows what they can do to practice selfcare. There seems to be a mystery behind it, especially here in the United States—where we are taught to prioritize time over happiness, and money over health.

Some Types of Selfcare

Many people who need selfcare tend to ignore it or make an excuse for not doing it. “There’s not enough time” is a common justification. However, with statistics like 1 in 3 women having intense anxiety and fear symptoms, there is clearly more to the story. We are encouraging men and women to start or review their selfcare needs, because what you needed a year ago, may be different from what you need now. Here are some of the most impactful selfcare practices:

• Putting yourself first
• Spending more time outside
• Spend time helping others
• Be mindful of the present
• Play more music
• Eat better foods and more of them
• Consider vocalizing your frustrations
• Lose yourself in literature
• Exercise in ways that make you happy
• Remove yourself from stress inducing triggers

You’ll notice that every single one of these suggestions is open ended. That is because they are meant to be the starting point for your particular brand of selfcare. If you find rock climbing 200 feet up exhilarating, then do it. But don’t forget that you staying home with a book and coffee is just as valid. Often times people will find a combination of activities in order to maximize their selfcare. For example, many people approach church as a form of selfcare. Their church helps to fulfill certain parts of their wellness goals, usually their spiritual, social, emotional, and occupational goals. But there are many ways to maximize your wellness goals you only need to experiment until it feels right for you.

Selfcare is Essential for Everyone

At first glance, it may seem that our suggestions are all common sense. Further, they may seem to be arbitrary in the face of a mental illness or anxiety. But each one of those points are known to produce positive feedback within our mental capacities and our moods. And as our moods change and our thinking changes so too does our symptoms of distress. In some cases, a person’s distress may disappear entirely while they keep on routine.

Selfcare is extremely important for long term health. It helps to reduce mental illness symptoms as well as helps to prevent physical illness like heart disease and cancer. It can also help us to figure out our meaning in life via spiritual guidance or vocation. The only issue with it, is that it needs to be done consistently in order to take effect. Science has told us that positive feelings fade twice as quickly as negative—so in practicing selfcare every day, even for five minutes, you can help to release those negative feelings. Selfcare does not need to be complex or time consuming, but it must work for you and you’ll know it’s working because the results will be immediate.

There is Always Hope

At Stenzel Clinical Services, we put our passion and our lives down to back you and your needs. We’ve created multiple counseling services to help you get to where you need to be mentally; helping you to get to where you’re happy. We believe that there is always hope for those who come to us, and those who seek help. Among our list of services, the most likely services to help you with selfcare are:

• Anxiety counseling
• Christian counseling
• Depression counseling
• Self-injury counseling
• Life transition counseling

Call us today for more information! We are here to help.