Why Self Care is Important

Wow, what was that?

My meditation sessions never go as planned as it seems the universe feels it is the ideal time to bombard my mind with a certain theme for each session. This is generally how many of the topics I write about come to be and this one is no different.

It was much later in the day than I ordinarily meditated. The previous day was an emotional mess of downs, reflections, and realizations. It turned into a great day of emotional healing. For this specific session, I wanted to focus on being less reactive to negative situations and emotions. I chose a guided session to assist in keeping the focus on this intention since my mind often wanders from topic to topic when meditating.

It was recommended to me in this session to pay close attention to the breath, focusing on all of its details. So I did. Wow.

So much in one breath.

Inhaling brings air, with much needed oxygen, into the nostrils. The air moves through the nostrils and sinuses, through the mucus and hairs to trap some things that may be harmful to our bodies. The air then moves through sinuses and down through the throat which has a flap that opens or closes, depending if you are breathing or swallowing, to prevent anything other than that inhalation of air to move into the lungs for the oxygen to be moved throughout the rest of the body.

Exhaling moves the lungs' byproduct, mostly carbon dioxide, reversed through the same path up the throat and this time rushing out of the mouth.

And then there are the muscles that move to make all of this possible and the nerves that allow you to feel it. With every single breath, most of the time without you having to consciously perform the action.

Why is self care important?

Our bodies do amazing things without us realizing it. This makes it my job to take care of the body and mind I have and take time to appreciate that it is constantly working hard to keep me alive and as healthy as possible.

I know I am not perfect but I can be better if I make time to care for my body and mind. This is why self care is so important, this is how it became the topic here, and this is how my meditation session, with intentions of being more nonreactive, went.

Nowadays, the world never sleeps. The world will not wait for us. We must find our balance, know when to stop, when to slow down, and where to begin again.

There will always be a necessity for self care, and you will need to determine how best to use it for your own personal needs.

Self care is what, precisely?

The World Health Organization defines self care as follows: "Self care is the ability of individuals, families and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a health worker." (Read more here.)

What exactly is acceptable as far as self care is concerned? To be honest, I don’t know and that’s okay. Self care needs may alter from day to day, or even situation to situation.

Self care is listening to what your mind and body needs. Do you feel hungry? Have a healthy snack. Do you feel exhausted? Make time to nap for twenty minutes or relax in a warm bath. Do you feel unhappy? Take a moment to ask yourself why, recognize those feelings and thoughts, reflect afterwards, and, if necessary, make plans for essential changes to ensure a happy, healthy you.

Beyond Little Thoughts

Self care is the answer I was looking for, for all of it. Reflecting now, the more self care I practice, from journaling to meditating to exercising, the more positive I feel and the less I react to those negative thoughts, emotions, and situations.

What are your thoughts?