What is the ultimate selfcare?

Muse & Heroine’s 5 Ultimate Self-Care Tips

Practicing self-care means taking an active role in protecting our well-being, health, and happiness. It means to carve a special portion of our busy day to delve into our own ceremony, to take care of our mental and physical health. Sounds intimidating? well, it isn’t. Here’s a list of five of our favorite self-care rituals that we urge you to try today and every day.

1. Make sure to always remove your makeup before going to bed.

And yes, even after a ridiculous night out, and even if it’s 4 a.m and you’ve had more than a glass of rosé. Sleeping in your makeup is very damaging for the skin and speeds up the process of aging. It can also cause major break-outs and we don’t want that. We recommend Ipsum Oil Balm Cleanser in the morning and

Macrene Actives High-Performance Cleansing Treatment in the evening.

2. Create a skincare routine that’s good for you and commit to it.

Taking care of your skin is very beneficial, and can also be very relaxing and soothing. Following a skincare routine with products you really love can become a sacred moment of self-love. Five minutes of your day just for yourself, and no one else. For a Skincare boost, try Henua Beautifying Toner. To moisturize, we suggest two of our hero products, Odacité Oleosomes Time Release Delivery Creme and Macrene Actives High Performance Face Cream.

3. Move your body.

It can seem like a burden sometimes, but exercise is a very important tool to keep your body — and your mind — active and healthy. It doesn’t have to be very intense: just try to find something that works for you and give it a proper go.

4. Meditate.

For some reason, meditation and yoga can seem very intimidating at first. But you don’t have to be some sort of spiritual superhero to try them and actually enjoy the process. If you don’t want to commit to an actual in-person class, there’s plenty of free youtube videos to try. To help you relax, we suggest you try Depuravita Smart Sleep.

5. Indulge.

This is probably the easiest one to follow, but for some reason, it’s not always a priority. Sometimes we create an impossible fault-proof routine for ourselves and all of a sudden, we start feeling stuck. Indulging in something we love — a glass of wine, a very delicious meal, an evening ok karaoke (or all of the above) — can be very beneficial for our mental health and a very positive outlet for stress and anxiety.

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by Margherita Fresilli

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What is the ultimate selfcare?

Sometimes, you might think that you have to put yourself in the back seat as you juggle the demands of your personal and professional life. You might even think that putting yourself first is selfish or impractical, which cannot be further from the truth.

Self-love is a necessity, even with your insanely hectic schedule. After all, you can’t fully give love until you learn to love yourself first. One of the best forms of self-love is caring for yourself, whether physically, mentally, or emotionally. When you start practicing self-care, you are teaching yourself to be kind. You allow yourself to enjoy the same kindness that you readily show others.

In this guide, you’ll learn all about self-care, why you need it, and how you can practice it on a daily basis.

What Is Self-Care?

The concept of self-care has been more relevant than ever, especially with the onslaught of the pandemic when people felt disconnected and uncertain about the future. The World Health Organization defines self-care as the ability of individuals, families, and communities to promote health, prevent diseases, and maintain health, with or without the help of a healthcare provider.

For the mainstream definition, self-care is identifying and meeting your needs. It is doing things that will help nourish yourself mentally , emotionally, and physically. Self-care is often considered the key to good health and well-being.

Essentially self-care takes on numerous forms. It can be indulging in a bubble bath with your favorite candle scent and a glass of wine. It can also be following a healthy diet to ensure optimum health. Self-care can also be in the form of a skincare routine before you go to bed.

Ideally, self-care should be able to balance your overall well-being. It is often an intentional and proactive pursuit.

The Benefits of Self-Care

Practicing constant self-care can usher in a range of advantages for the mind, body, and soul. Take a look at some of its many benefits:

Promote Wellness

Self-care is not something you do once in a while when you feel like it. It often requires commitment and consistency, which you can achieve by establishing a routine that works for you. The following tips can help you do just that.

Find What Makes You Feel Centered

Before you get into the planning stage of your self-care routine, you must first find out what makes you centered. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to this practice, after all. Everyone needs a self-care routine tailored to their own needs.

You may start by writing down as many things as you can think of that brings you joy. It can be receiving a massage or sipping an ice-cold drink while watching the sunset. It can be visiting your favorite bookstore and buying the latest book from your favorite author. It can be a particular smell – the fresh scent of lemons during summer or cinnamon rolls on a hot afternoon.

The things that can make you happy can be the foundation of your self-care routine. They are what you need to incorporate into your daily life for a healthier, happier you.

Set Your Self-Care Goals

What do you want to achieve from your self-care routine? This question is important as it can guide you in developing a sustainable and purposeful plan. Your goals may include how often you will follow your routine and when. Consider your overall purpose. Is it for your inner health? Do you want to maintain clear, glowing skin? Do you need to ward off stress?

Make your goals both realistic and measurable. This will help you stick to your goal and ensure that you are ticking it off day in and day out.

Try to Develop a Self-care Plan

Plan your self-care routine according to your needs. You are supposed to create it for your own self. Of course, it is possible to take inspiration from others, but the purpose and the direction of your self-care routine must be tailored to your own personal essentials.

That is why the planning stage requires reassessing your current situation and identifying areas where you will need self-care benefits. It can be work, family, school, or relationships. There might be areas in your life that need more attention.

You may want to focus more on alleviating stress and burnout. You may need to make an extra effort to ensure you live a healthier life. You can also take a closer look at the possible challenges you might be facing and plan how you will tackle them.

Your plan should ideally include a schedule, which will give you clear guidance that you can follow. This way, you can prioritize skincare instead of simply squeezing it in when you find the time.

Incorporate Self-care into Your Daily Life

Since self-care is a commitment, you must find a way to incorporate your self-care routine into your daily life. Some forms of self-care can be as simple as buying your favorite candle and filling in your room with a vanilla scent before you go to sleep. It can be as exciting as driving to the beach on a weekend to recharge, armed with your swimwear and a comfy and foldable, lightweight beach chair .

Your self-care routine may also take the form of a regular activity you need to schedule every week for consistency. It may be going to the gym every Friday or taking a stroll on a nature trail on weekends.

Your skincare routine can also be a good self-care essential. You can go through your multiple skincare steps before going to bed or simply cap off the night by donning a silky smooth sleep mask for a deeper, undisturbed sleep.

Evaluate How You Are Doing

Practicing self-care does not end by doing it once. You have to stick with it for the long haul. Once you have established your routine, you need to evaluate your progress. Are you feeling the positive benefits? Have you reached your self-care goals? Are there areas for improvement?

You don’t have to be overly strict with your routine. If you think a little tweak on your approach can help you more, you may make the necessary adjustments. Every self-care practice is a work in progress.

Self-Care Ideas for Your Mind, Body, and Soul

There are thousands of ways to practice self-care. You just need to find a routine that works for you. But if you are looking for ideas to inspire you, we’ve gathered some for you.

Morning meditation. This will help clear your mind so you can focus on the day ahead.
Decluttering. It can be your desk or your room, but a little decluttering can help your mind function better.
Social media hiatus. You may want to consider taking a short break from social media. This helps you fully focus on yourself.
Creative hobbies. There’s nothing like a good hobby to stimulate your mind and get your creative juices flowing.
Enjoying the sunrise or sunset. This seemingly boring activity can put your mind at ease as you concentrate on the glorious sight of the sunrise or sunset.

Take your 10,000 steps. Experts recommend that you take 10,000 steps for optimum health. This will loosen up your muscles and give you an excuse to explore the outside world.
Dance like a kid. You could be in the kitchen preparing your healthy smoothie. Why not blast out your favorite tune and let loose? Dancing can make your body move.
Choose to eat healthily. Instant noodles versus salad? Pick the latter. Sticking to a healthy diet is a conscious choice.
Enjoy the sunshine. Even if it’s just for 15 minutes, basking under the sun can increase your endorphins and give you some vitamin D.
Make it a point to exercise. Whether it is walking, running, biking, or going to a yoga class, a little exercise can go a long way.

Lend a helping hand. It can be as simple as making someone smile or sharing your food with a hungry stranger. This practice of kindness can enrich your soul.
Maintain a journal. Take 10 minutes out of your busy schedule to write your thoughts down and help yourself feel better.
Treat yourself on a date. A little me-time is in order to allow your mind and soul to take a breather. You can go to your favorite café and read a book or go down to the beach for a little sunshine.
Let your emotions out. Holding yourself from experiencing a range of emotions is not good for your inner self. Let it out. If you are mad, allow yourself to be mad. If you need a good cry, let the tears flow.
Spend time with family and friends. Your loved ones know you inside and out. Spending time with them can give you the kind of happiness you can’t find anywhere else.

Wrapping It Up

While the demands of your life can get pretty overwhelming at times, you need to remember that they should not dictate the self-care you deserve. Hopefully, this guide can help you incorporate different forms of self-care into your daily life without compromising your everyday responsibilities. Just make sure to create a plan tailored to your personal needs, and you’ll be in good hands.

This article was kindly submitted by Lauren Harris

What Is Self-Care, and Why Is It So Important for Your Health?

Let’s clear up one common misconception from the get-go: Self-care is not synonymous with self-indulgence or being selfish. Self-care means taking care of yourself so that you can be healthy, you can be well, you can do your job, you can help and care for others, and you can do all the things you need to and want to accomplish in a day.

If you think you’ve been hearing more about self-care lately, you’re right. One indicator: According to Google Trends, the number of searches for “self-care” has nearly quadrupled since 2018.

Paula Gill Lopez, PhD, an associate professor in the department of psychological and educational consultation at Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut, says the need for self-care is obvious. “We have an epidemic of anxiety and depression,” she says. “Everybody feels it.”

Self-care is part of the answer to how we can all better cope with daily stressors, explains Kelsey Patel, a Los Angeles-based wellness expert. It’s work stress. It’s the stress of trying to keep up with the pace of daily life, which technology has hastened more than ever (just think how many emails come flooding into your inbox each day). “People are feeling lonelier and less able to unwind and slow down, which makes them feel more anxious and overwhelmed by even the simplest tasks,” Patel says.

At Everyday Health, self-care is taking steps to tend to your physical and emotional health needs to the best of your ability.

Here, we explore the trend, where the definition of self-care comes from, and what it can do for your long-term health.

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What Is Self-Care, and Why Is It Critical for Your Well-Being?

Several organizations and researchers take a health-oriented approach when defining self-care. The World Health Organization defines self-care as: “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.”

According to this definition, self-care includes everything related to staying physically healthy — including hygiene, nutrition, and seeking medical care when needed. It’s all the steps an individual can take to manage stressors in his or her life and take care of his or her own health and well-being.

What Is Self-Care?

Common Questions & Answers

What are the benefits of practicing self-care?

Self-care is anything you do to take care of yourself so you can stay physically, mentally, and emotionally well. Its benefits are better physical, mental, and emotional health and well-being. Research suggests self-care promotes positive health outcomes, such as fostering resilience, living longer, and becoming better equipped to manage stress.

Can self-care help prevent disease or illness?

While self-care can help prevent future health problems, it alone is not a cure or treatment for disease or illness. For those living with a chronic disease (such as heart disease or cancer), however, practicing self-care may help patients with managing symptoms, bolstering other aspects of health, and improving emotional well-being.

What are some examples of self-care?

Common examples of self-care include: maintaining a regular sleeping routine, eating healthy, spending time in nature, doing a hobby you enjoy, and expressing gratitude. Self-care can look different for everyone, but to count as self-care, the behavior should promote health and happiness for you.

How do I start a self-care routine?

To get into a routine of regularly practicing self-care, experts recommend starting small rather than tackling the most challenging thing first. Choose one practice each week to weave into your daily routine. Note any positive changes, and add in more practices when you feel ready.

Some researchers have adopted a similarly clinical approach. A 2010 study defined self-care as “the set of activities in which one engages throughout life on a daily basis,” focusing on promoting health, preventing illness, and managing issues that come up.

A study published in 2018 took self-care to mean “the self-initiated behavior that people choose to incorporate to promote good health and general well-being.” The study authors added that it’s about being healthy but also about incorporating coping strategies to deal with work stressors.

In 2019, researchers published a self-care framework to specifically point out that in addition to self-care being the activities individuals do on their own to promote physical and emotional health, it also includes the ways that individuals interact with clinicians and healthcare systems to tend to physical and emotional health. That means self-care includes things like getting a vaccine, scheduling cancer screenings, or taking prescription medications on schedule — but healthcare providers and organizations play a role, too, in how well individuals engage in these self-care practices. In other words: There are a lot of people and factors that bear on any individual’s ability to engage in self-care.

As self-care has become more mainstream, the definitions have started to become more about general wellbeing and tend to focus on tuning in to one’s needs and meeting those needs. “Self-care is anything that you do for yourself that feels nourishing,” says Marni Amsellem, PhD, a licensed psychologist based in the greater New York metropolitan area.

“That can be something that’s relaxing or calming, or it can be something that is intellectual or spiritual or physical or practical or something you need to get done,” she says.

The International Self-Care Foundation also includes health literacy as a pillar of self-care, meaning that any steps you take toward better understanding health information you need to make appropriate decisions about your health and well-being counts as self-care, too.

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Self-care requires checking in with yourself and asking yourself how you’re doing physically, mentally, and emotionally. Some people use it to deal with difficult news stories, while others practice self-care just to maintain their happiness day to day. Self-care does not mean the same thing for everyone. Different people will adopt different self-care practices, and even your own definition might change over time. “What is self-care for one person will likely differ from someone else, and what’s self-care for you one day might not feel like self-care another day,” Dr. Amsellem says.

Engaging in self-care regularly could help you put your best foot forward. “When we are regularly taking care of ourselves, we are better able to react to the things that go on in our lives,” Amsellem says. “It’s something we do to maintain positive well-being.”

Types of Self-Care

“It could be anything that floats your boat — anything that puts a smile on your face,” Dr. Gill Lopez says. “Anything that makes you feel cared for, even if it’s you caring for yourself.”

There are a few different categories of self-care:

Emotional self-care, such as self-talk, weekly bubble baths, saying “no” to things that cause unnecessary stress, giving yourself permission to take a pause, or setting up a weekly coffee date with a friend
Physical self-care, such as prioritizing sleep, adopting an exercise routine you can stick with, or choosing healthy and nourishing foods over highly processed ones
Spiritual self-care, such as attending a religious service, spending time in nature, meditating, incorporating regular acts of kindness into your day, or keeping a gratitude journal

Additionally, Gill Lopez puts self-care into two further categories: temporary and enduring.

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What Counts as Self-Care, and What Doesn’t

There’s no way to say exactly what counts as self-care because everyone’s definition is their own and unique.

The underlying rule is that it’s something that brings you sustained joy in the long run, Courtney says. And though there are plenty of examples of self-care that seem to tread a fine line between a health-enhancing behavior and self-indulgence, self-care doesn’t have to be about padding your calendar with luxurious experiences or activities that cost money (though it certainly can).

Consider a manicure or a massage or any other pampering activity. It might seem indulgent, but if the activity helps you de-stress and carve out time for yourself, it counts as self-care, Amsellem says. If weekly manicures or monthly spa days are beyond your means, they will likely add stress to your life in the long run, so there are plenty of other self-care practices you can adopt.

“Self-care does not have to cost anything — it’s just doing things you enjoy. And a lot of the things we enjoy or feel fulfilled from cost nothing,” Amsellem says. “Stepping outside and taking a deep breath, for example, might be the greatest act of self-care.”

Even if you can’t spend lots of time and money, Gill Lopez says you can still practice self-care several times a week by turning things you do every day into self-care practices.

Maybe you try being more mindful of your thoughts on your commute, or maybe you find ways to make daily tasks, like showering, more enjoyable. Pick a soap with a scent that you love, and focus on the physical sensations of the shower. Gill Lopez says: What does your shower smell like? What does it sound like? How does the warm water feel on your skin? “For about 10 minutes in the shower, which I have to do anyway, instead of letting my monkey brain run wild, I’m right there,” she says.

Daily chores like making your bed in the morning are also examples of self-care — or can be. “This is where that individuality comes into play, because for some people there is no way making a bed feels like self-care — it may just feel like a chore,” Amsellem says. But if it helps you claim your day and gives you a sense of accomplishment early on, you’ll have that with you even if the rest of the day gets derailed, Amsellem says.

The simple act of making your bed in the morning likely isn’t sufficient to account for all your self-care, she says. You may need to routinely devote time and energy to other self-care practices, she adds. “But if there are some days when you feel out of control, on those days, starting the day off doing what you wanted to do for yourself might be one of the biggest forms of self-care you engage in that day.”

And sometimes when all of our other self-care plans get thrown out of whack (you worked through your yoga class, your friend canceled your coffee date — we’ve all been there), it’s those small practices of self-care that provide just enough calm to help us get through the day and wake up in a better mood tomorrow.