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<\/p>\n This year, pledge to care for yourself in truly meaningful ways.<\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Self-care, though not a new concept, has recently become a buzzword. But what does it really mean? <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n As the new year began, maybe you resolved to practice more self-care. With so much information and so many products competing for your attention, sometimes it\u2019s hard to know where to start.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n These do\u2019s and don\u2019ts of self-care will help you as you go.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n While there are times when it\u2019s totally appropriate to buy yourself something, self-care doesn\u2019t always require it. Pause to discern whether you really need something, or if you\u2019re only trying to stifle feelings of discomfort with retail therapy. Be skeptical of products advertised as though they\u2019re going to bring you instant peace, or of the thought that as soon as you have the item you\u2019re eyeing, <\/span>then<\/span><\/i> you\u2019ll finally feel better. <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n How can you give yourself proper care if you don\u2019t actually know what you need? Take the time to check in with yourself each day. Your feelings will naturally guide you to your true needs. <\/span>Today I\u2019m feeling anxious because I need my own space. This week I\u2019m feeling bored because I need inspiration. In this moment, I\u2019m feeling sad because I need acceptance. <\/span><\/i>You\u2019re a dynamic person who\u2019s constantly changing. Taking a little time each day to get to know yourself will help you stay connected to what makes you feel most cared for.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Never underestimate the power of a balanced meal, a good night\u2019s sleep, or a shower. When we\u2019re busy or depressed, it\u2019s easy to let these basic needs fall by the wayside, but the effect they can have on our moods is powerful. <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Part of caring for yourself is acknowledging that you can\u2019t do everything by yourself. There\u2019s never shame in enlisting the help of others. Give a friend, a family member, a babysitter, a therapist, or whomever you need, the chance to be there for you.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n I\u2019d be lying if I said I\u2019ve never spent ages scrolling through Instagram after a long day at work. However, even though mindless scrolling or binge-watching is easy, it\u2019s not always what\u2019s beneficial. Too much time on your device is soul-depleting, especially if you end up comparing yourself with \u201cperfect\u201d images or getting lost in a spiral of appalling news stories. Remember to unplug often.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n When strapped for self-care ideas, go back to your five senses. Hug a furry pet or blanket. Look at your favorite painting. Taste a cup of your favorite tea. Breathe in the scent of fresh flowers. Listen to the woosh of ocean waves.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n For some, a lavender-scented bubble bath would be very relaxing. But maybe the smell of lavender gives you a headache, or turning pruny in the tub isn\u2019t your idea of fun. It\u2019s okay to be honest with yourself when something that\u2019s supposed to be relaxing doesn\u2019t relax you. You\u2019re unique – your self-care will be, too.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n To care for yourself, you don\u2019t need to stay at a five-star resort. Meditation, gratitude lists, deep conversations, hugs, journaling sessions, positive affirmations, tidying your space, and listening to your favorite song are all examples of simple self-care strategies that don\u2019t cost a cent.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSelf care is never a selfish act \u2014 it is simply good stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift I was put on earth to offer others.\u201d \u2014 Parker Palmer\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n What self-care strategies do you rely on to replenish yourself? Share them with us in the comments! <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This year, pledge to care for yourself in truly meaningful ways.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":1268,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2472","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all","category-health-wellness"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bellagracemagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2472","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bellagracemagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bellagracemagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bellagracemagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bellagracemagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2472"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bellagracemagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2472\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bellagracemagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1268"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bellagracemagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2472"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bellagracemagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2472"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bellagracemagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2472"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n\tWords: Melissa Rosenberg<\/a><\/span>\n\tDON\u2019T<\/b> use self-care as an excuse for excessive spending.<\/span><\/h3>\n
DO<\/b> practice self-awareness in conjunction with self-care. <\/span><\/h3>\n
DON\u2019T<\/b> forget about the basics.<\/span><\/h3>\n
DO<\/b> ask for help when you need it.<\/span><\/h3>\n
DON\u2019T<\/b> rely solely on social media or television.<\/span><\/h3>\n
DO<\/b> appeal to your senses.<\/span><\/h3>\n
DON\u2019T<\/b> think that one size fits all.<\/span><\/h3>\n
DO<\/b> remember that the best things in life are free.<\/span><\/h3>\n