What is Self-Love?
Self-love is the appreciation of oneself through actions that promote physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual growth. It involves accepting both weaknesses and strengths, fostering self-compassion, and recognizing one's worthiness of love and respect.
What is Self-Compassion?
Self-Compassion is being a kind and understand friend to yourself when times are tough. It’s having the ability to treat yourself the same way you would treat a friend, with kindness, understanding and empathy.
TIP:
Try Mel Robbin’s High 5 Habit. It’s a simple science backed tool that changes your attitude, your mindset, and your behavior.
By giving yourself a high five in the mirror every morning you’re refocusing your attention onto your strengths instead of your weaknesses

The Benefits of Self-Compassion & Self-Love
Greater happiness
More optimism
More positive moods
A greater sense of wisdom
More motivation & willingness to take initiative
Increased curiosity, learning and exploration
More agreeable
More conscientiousness
Tip:
Watch Kristin Neff’s TEDxTalk, - The Space Between Self-Esteem and Self Compassion
What is a self-care plan and why should you have one?
A self-care plan is a personalized set of activities that promote the well-being of your body, mind, and spirit. By consistently engaging in a healthy self-care routine, you can enhance your overall health and live as your best self.
It is important to develop a self-care plan that resonates with you personally, and can easily be put into action.
Benefits:
Helps reduce stress, anxiety & symptoms of depression
Gives you a time out to relax & recharge
Enhances creativity doing activities that provide fulfillment & joy
Helps you stay present
Boosts your immune system
Improves relationships
Boosts productivity
Improves self-esteem
Increases resilience
Develops healthy emotional responses (respond instead of react)
Models healthy habits and boundaries
GUILT… the ultimate party pooper when it comes to self-care!
Prioritizing self-care is not selfish; it is a vital aspect of maintaining overall health & well-being. A self-care plan is a deliberate set of activities aimed at improving mental, emotional, spiritual & physical health. It helps you manage stress, enhance productivity, & prevent burnout.
Self-care Activities:
Do something for yourself.
call or meet up with a close friend
taking a bubble bath
cold plunging
get a massage, pedicure, facial
buy some flowers
treat yourself to your favorite dessert or meal
deep breathing
get creative
keep hydrated
read your favorite book
The list is endless....
The best way to start your day is with some alone time.
Avoid coffee for 90 minutes after waking
Start your day with a large glass of room temperature or warm water
add 1/2 a lemon to help detoxify your body
Make your bed
No Screen time
Give yourself a high five
Get 10 minutes of outdoor sunlight
Even on a cloudy day you are resetting your circadian rhythm
Be active
Write in a gratitude journal, make a to-do list or just do a mind dump
There are many ways to journal. My personal favorite is Metacog style
Practice mindfulness
Meditation, breathing, tapping
Insight Timer is a great place to start
Nourish your body with a healthy breakfast
TIP:
Gratitude Journal Prompts
· Three amazing things that happened today...
· Three people I’m grateful for...
· Three things I look forward to tomorrow...
Create a to-do list
a to-do list helps you prioritize tasks to avoid feeling overwhelmed
De-clutter
Feeling stuck, unmotivated or unproductive?
Take 15 minutes & de-clutter your closet, your desk, a kitchen drawer. If you don’t use, donate it or sell it.
Make healthy food choices
Fueling your body with healthy food is a great way to practice self-care.
Hydrate with water
Get moving
Take a long walk. Go for a walk on your lunch break with a co-worker. Get out in natures and walk your dog.
Try yoga, Thai Chi
Hit the gym, pool or dance class
Take a class
Learn a new skill or take up a new hobby
Plan a get away
Go out with a friend or have a date night
Get away for the weekend with friends or family
Take a holiday
Get a good night‘s sleep
keep the screen out of the bedroom
especial social media
read a book instead of scrolling
count your blessings
have a warm bath or shower
keep a regular bedtime
keep your bedroom cool
avoid late dinners and don’t eat after dinner
try an herbal tea like licorice if you feel like something sweet
avoid caffeine after 3pm
avoid alcohol in the evening
How to create a self-care plan:
By taking a self-care assessment (https://socialwork.buffalo.edu/content/dam/socialwork/home/self-care-kit/self-care-assessment.pdf) you can begin to understand which parts of your life needs a little TLC.
· Emotional self-care
· Mental self-care
· Social self-care
· Spiritual self-care
· Physical self-care
Things to consider when creating a self-care plan:
What are your stressors?
What activities will bring value to your self-care
What brings you joy?
What healthy practices can you do to improve the way you feel?
mentally, physically, emotionally & spiritually
How & when you can incorporate these healthy and joyful activities into your day
Choose one activity and build from there. Start small & set yourself up for success. Choose an activity that fits into your everyday life.
taking a lunchtime walk alone or with a co-worker
taking a nightly bubble bath or warm shower
listening to a wellness podcast or audio book while driving or cleaning the house
sharing your feelings with a close friend or family member
swapping a piece of fruit for your afternoon sweet
Self-care is a practice. The goal is to reduce your stress levels and over time increase your self-esteem.
Evaluate and tweak. Practice your new activity for several weeks and take inventory of how you feel. After self-reflection, evaluate the impact of adding this activity to your life. Depending on how it makes you feel, tweak your current plan. Add something new or try something else instead.
What is an Emergency Self-Care Plan?
An emergency self-care plan provides a structured approach to self-care during times of crisis or distress.
Be it a panic attack, having a high stress job (first responder, crisis counselors), being a primary caregiver to a loved one who is sick, relationship breakdown, lose of a job, death of a loved one or an emergency event; having a plan designed to help you navigate the difficult emotions and situations can ensure your overall well-being and resilience.
Make a list of what you can do when you are upset that will be good for you.
What will help you relax?
Breathing, Muscle relaxation, Music
Reading for fun, watching a movie
Exercising, Taking a walk
What do you like to do when you are in a good mood?
List all the things you like to do so you remember what they are when you need to think of something to do.
What can you do that will help you throughout the day?
Avoid too much caffeine if feeling anxious
Remember to breathe
Watch my thoughts
Stay in the moment
call a friend
Make a list of people you can contact if you need support or distraction.
your best friend, other friends, sibling, parent, grandparent, other relative, therapist, priest/minister/rabbi/imam, HR representative etc.
Divide the list of people into categories by asking yourself the following questions:
Who can I call if I am feeling depressed, lonely or anxious?
Who will come over to be with me if I need company?
Who will listen?
Who will encourage me to get out of the house and do something fun?
Who will remind me to follow my self-care plan?
Next, make a list of who and what to avoid when you are having a hard time
People to avoid
Not everyone can be supportive or helpful with every situation. Go to the ones who can be supportive about the specific issues you are dealing with.
things to avoid:
Isolating from friends and family
Avoiding going to work
But if you need some time off talk to your employer, ask for help
Avoiding social activities, sports or hobbies
avoid substance abuse
or other destructive self-soothing behaviors
Next, make a list of positive things to say to yourself when you are giving yourself a hard time.
Think about what you would say to a friend and apply it to yourself.
GIVE YOURSELF A HIGH 5
TIP:
Write your plan on a 3x5” card. Keep a copy in your purse/wallet and on your phone. Look at it often. Add any good ideas to it whenever you can. USE IT!
What’s in my tool box:
My Daily Self-Care:
A solid morning routine
get up at the same time everyday
54321 JUST DO IT - NO SNOOZE ALARM
make the bed
give myself a high 5
drink a large glass of warm lemon water
turn on all the lights and sit by my SAD lamp (winter) for 10 minutes
enjoy a bullet-proof espresso while journaling
meditate
exercise
take the dog out for a walk
go for a swim, hit the weights or stretch
Meals
be mindful of what I’m eating and how I’m eating
if I’m shoveling it in, STOP and think about why I’m not enjoying my food
avoid eating after 7 pm
no alcohol or other self-soothing substances
A solid bedtime routine
have a warm shower, light some candles, play some soft music
go to sleep at the same time every night
bedside lamp is on a timer
count my blessings
read a book for enjoyment
wear a sleep mask and earplug
My Emergency Self-Care Plan:
STOP and ASSESS
Become mindful
What am I thinking?
Is it productive, positive or compassionate?
What am I feeling? What emotions are there?
Where in my body do I feel those emotions?
Look around
5 things I can see, 4 things I can touch, 3 things I can hear, 2 things I can smell, 1 thing I can taste
BREATH
EMDR - Eye Movement Desensitization & Re-programing
EFT - Tapping
Text a friend
but be mindful, stick to the facts, don’t play the victim
Comments