What if the tools you need to recover are already inside you?
The Importance of Tools For Self-Help and Self-Care
Life can be hectic. Responsibilities grow and — in the digital age — distractions increase on a daily basis. You may feel as if there is not enough time for self-help. Even more so, self-care can appear as self-indulgent when you have so much to manage.
The quality of our mental and physical health is contingent on our commitment to care for ourselves. It’s great to have others look after us but no one knows you, like you. A daily self-care practice, therefore, is 100 percent intertwined with a sense a self-awareness. And self-esteem.
To identify what we are feeling — in our bodies and minds — is self-awareness. Taking steps to address what we are feeling is a sign of self-esteem. We recognize our own importance. In addition, we can see that we need to be a better version of ourselves in order to juggle the daily push-and-pull of life. We need, simply put, to understand and honor our needs.
Our Basic Needs
Each of us contains a multitude of needs. We have rich inner worlds and unique perspectives. But almost all of us share common needs in the realm of living a healthy life. We need health and wellbeing in our:
- Body
- Mind
- Relationships
- Professional life and career
- Creative expression
- Financial security
- Your home (literally and figuratively)
- Spiritual life (however you define it)
- Sex life
- Behaviors and personal choices
When any of these facets is out of synch, it can lead to suffering in other parts of our lives . Fortunately, every one of us has the tools we need to heal and recover.
Stocking Up Your Own Self-Recovery Tools
1. The Basics
Self-recovery is a daily practice. Each and every day, we must learn to prioritize ourselves in a variety of ways. Here are some fundamental examples:
- Relaxation techniques and stress management
- Daily activity and exercise
- Steady and sufficient sleep routine
- Healthy eating habits
2. Daily Journaling
Keeping a self-help journal is an excellent method for monitoring patterns and discovering triggers. If you decide to try therapy (see below), your journal will also be a very useful tool in that process.
3. Practice Mindfulness
Guilt lives in the past. Anxiety lurks in the future. But here we are, living in the present. At this moment is where mindfulness dwells. Staying present, fully experiencing what each moment has to offer.
4. Helping Others
Nothing puts things in perspective like helping others. You not only offer assistance to someone in need but you also enrich your own life. What a wonderful way to witness a better version of yourself in action!
Sometimes, Getting Outside Support Are The Tools For the Job
In an ever-changing world, there is no shame in needing help. It is normal and inevitable and quite often, a doorway to major changes. If your self-care efforts help but not as much as you require, reach out to a trained professional. Regular therapy sessions are like tool-building lessons. You come away with new insights, new strategies, and new tools specially designed for the issues you face. After all, there are times when the tool you need most is the courage and humility to ask for help. https://rachelmcdavid.com/contact-us/