“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”

— Buddha

Self-care and personal well-being is one of those things that everyone knows about but somehow struggles to make enough time for. We know the importance of having “me” time, yet somehow it’s one of the most elusive practices ever.

Life just has a tendency to get in the way of self-care, and while that’s unavoidable occasionally, we need to find a way to make time for ourselves. That’s easier said than done, so luckily for you, down below are some tips to get you started.

Take A Vacation

How many of us are guilty of saying we want to take a vacation but never actually do so? To answer that question, probably a lot. Vacations are a great way to get away from everyday obligations and focus on much happier things. The happier you are, the better your mental well-being is. That’s why it’s crucial to do relatively stress-free activities.

Vacations also don’t have to be with other people. Solo travel is more popular than ever and can give you that alone time you may want. Taking time to explore a new city and focusing on the things that you want to do is a very freeing experience.

If a long vacation is not in your budget at the moment, no worries! Even taking day trips to neighboring cities can satisfy your craving to go elsewhere and see some different sights.

Get Healthy

Trying to be happy when you’re battling health issues isn’t easy. That’s why, if you can, it’s important to take the necessary steps to prevent your health from declining. Everyone knows the two main things necessary to improving health— eating properly and exercising. However, just because you know something doesn’t mean that it’ll be easy.

If you are someone who struggles to adopt healthy habits, consider going on a health retreat. A health retreat is a great way to help you work on your health while holding you accountable. If you’re paying money for a wellness retreat, the chances of you backing out are slim. Wellness retreats offer services to help you with strength training, yoga, self-development, and much more, so there are many options available to you.

This can do wonders for both your mental and physical health and give you professional advice on how to incorporate healthier habits into your everyday routines.

Say How You Feel

Bottling up stress is never good. More often than not, it just leads you to become even more stressed. Don’t be afraid to let someone in to hear about your struggles. For some, that may be difficult, but understanding that your feelings deserve to be heard is crucial. Your loved ones are there to be your shoulder to cry on or vent to when things are getting tough.

However, don’t mistake a nice vent session for therapy. While it’s nice to talk to someone you’re close to, sometimes you may need a little more than that. And that’s okay! Seeking online therapy or counseling doesn’t mean anything is wrong with you. It just means that you’re taking your mental health into your own hands, as many people should.

Online therapy is also a great option for those who don’t have loved ones to talk to. It helps to mitigate feelings of loneliness and connects you to people who are in similar situations.

Guard Your Peace

This is one of the most important tips. Guarding your peace (aka, your mental health) can be one of the most difficult yet most rewarding things ever. To guard your peace means to remove or decrease exposure to anything or anyone who doesn’t add positivity to your life.

Have a toxic friend, spouse, or even family member? Cut. Them. Off. It may be hard, but having people in your life that constantly drain your energy is even harder. Not only that, but stop doing things that you don’t want to do. Do you have a job that drains you? Start working towards finding a new one. Don’t want to go out on a certain weekend? Say no.

Start taking control of your life and doing things that promote a healthier lifestyle. Once you do, you won’t regret it.

For more information on ways to get healthy mentally and physically, please visit the Live Better programming page!