Practicing Self-Care

What is self-care?

Self-care is about taking care of your needs and making choices that support your mental health and well-being. Things to remember about self-care include:

• Self-care is not selfish – it is about positive mental health and engaging in activities that bring you energy and joy.
• Self-care does not have to be fancy or expensive. Self-care is not just about going to a spa, it is about making everyday choices to do something that brings your positive energy or helps you relax.
• Self-care is important. Taking care of yourself is a first step in being able to do stressful things. And it is important for being able to support healing after abuse.

What does self-care look like?

Self-care looks different for everyone, but in general it is a collection of big and little things that help your mental health, help you feel more calm, and reduce stress and increase joy.

Ask yourself what you like to do to calm down and relax? What situations make you happy? When do you feel your best

Examples of self-care

• Read a book
• Give yourself a manicure or pedicure
• Binge watch a show
• Drink herbal tea
• Cook something new
• Do crafts
• Listen to music
• Draw
• Watch or listen to comedy
• Decorate
• Go shopping
• Order dinner or your favorite meal
• Go for a drive
• Go to a coffee shop and order a beverage
• Sing out loud
• Sleep in
• Get a massage
• Go to a playground and play- swing on a swing, go down the slide
• Try on clothes
• Do scrapbooking
• Play with a photo app on our phone
• Bake something
• See if you are feeling tense in your neck or jaw, do a body scan (mentally move from toes to top of head seeing where you feel you are holding on to tension) and then tell yourself to let that tension go. 

Source: Mental Health America, https://screening.mhanational.org/content/50-self-care-activities-to-do-when-you-dont-know-where-to-start/

Self-Care as an Athlete

As an athlete, self-care may look like doing things connected with your sport and it might not. It is important to listen to yourself and your body’s reaction. 

• Athletes are very connected to their bodies in different ways–consider how your sport relates to how you hold and show stress.
• Athletes have different connections to their mental state according to what is happening–such as competition verses training. Consider what self-care looks like for you during these times.
• During stressful times in a sporting life, think about how you can take care of yourself, reduce stress, and build in opportunities for joy.
• Find people in and out of your sport who are supportive and bring you joy. These can be part of your mental health support team and a great resource for connection and support.