Self-Care and Promoting Good Health During Divorce
Nowadays everyone talks about self-care and it’s become a catch phrase. But really, what does self-care mean? How does it apply to you and why is it important? As we pass the two year mark of the pandemic, self-care has never been more crucial as mental health issues increase and our stress increases from our lives on covid hold, gun violence and now exorbitant inflation. Is there no good news these days? Self-care has never been more important than it is today.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), self-care is the “ability of individuals, families and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health and to cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a healthcare provider.” Self-care is important to maintaining a healthy relationship with yourself. It means doing things to take care of our minds, bodies, and souls by engaging in activities that promote well-being and reduce stress. Self-care enhances our ability to live full lives with vibrancy and purpose. The practice of self-care also reminds you that your needs are valid and a priority.
Examples of Self-Care include:
- Exercise in an activity that you enjoy and participate consistently
- Eating a healthy diet
- Getting a good night’s sleep
- Massage
- Time with others-friends/family
- Reading a book or watching a good movie
- Manicure/Pedicure
- Eating healthy
- Listen to podcasts
- And the list goes on and on ….
Self-care does not mean selfish, it means caring for yourself. My mother always says “no one will take care of you, you need to take care of yourself.” She isn’t wrong. Some people push back on the concept of self-care out of guilt for putting themselves before others especially parents who may feel that taking time for themselves takes time away from parenting. There is also the issue of time constraints and feeling that there is not enough time in the day for themselves. But can’t we all make time? We make time for lots of things that could be put behind self-care—can we wait a day or an hour to throw in a load of laundry or clean up the kitchen? Of course we can, because the reality is that you are more important than these mundane things that do not have an expiration date.
Anyone going through a stressful time and especially people in a divorce proceeding, need self-care more than most individuals as they juggle work, children, the home life, family, friends, the divorce process and a million other things. In reality, divorcing parents need self-care more than ever for the reasons stated above. A person going through divorce needs self-care to be their best selves for their children and themselves.
While was all know we need to take care of ourselves, it is also hard to do so with so may demands on us. But really, making time for ourselves is not just kind but it is necessary for our happiness and well-being in life.
We end these thoughts with some famous quotes to mull over:
“Our bodies are our gardens, to which our wills are gardeners.” William Shakespeare
“To love oneself is the beginning of a lifetime romance.” Oscar Wilde
“Self-care means giving yourself permission to pause.” Cecilia Tran
“Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me.” Carol Burnett
“Self-care isn’t selfish. It’s self esteem.” Ashley Judd
