Contrary to popular belief, self-care doesn’t necessarily mean drawing up a bubble bath or spending hours journaling. In reality, self-care means taking care of yourself in the best way possible to enhance your overall physical and mental well-being.
Regular self-care practices and habits can help boost your self-esteem, giving you the confidence to go after what you want in your life. In this article, we’re going to break this all down. What does self-care involve? And how can self-care improve your self-esteem?
Taking a break, such as a vacation, is always a good idea to detach from the regular chaos and stressors. Yet, simply taking a break doesn’t always equate to self-care. Ever notice how you need a vacation after a vacation? This is your sign to keep reading!
Self-care involves eating well, moving your body, taking time to clear your mind — and generally, taking care of yourself. Most importantly, you must do these things on a regular basis.
These small actions accumulate, contributing to improved self-esteem. And when you have improved self-esteem, everything else in life gets better. Research even shows how high self-esteem contributes to improved performance and greater happiness.
So, let’s dig a little deeper. How can regular physical activity and healthy eating enhance your life?
If there’s any kind of miracle pill you should be taking on a daily basis, exercise is it. No matter which way you spin it, your physical and mental health are intricately linked. Often, when one improves, so does the other.
Surprisingly, despite exercise being a physical stressor, it can also reduce stress in your life. In fact, researchers suggest that exercise is an effective stress management technique.
How does exercise do this? When you move your body, you reduce the stress hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline, and stimulate the release of feel-good chemicals called endorphins. Endorphins give way to the “runner’s high,” and they promote feelings of relaxation.
On top of this, movement helps you get back in touch with your body. As a result, you feel more confident in your own skin and experience an improved body image.
When it comes to feeling good, your diet isn’t something to ignore. Proper nutrition is essential for optimal mind and body function.
There’s actually a vast network of research that has explored the mind-gut connection. Studies show how inflammation of the gut can increase your risk of developing mental health illnesses, such as anxiety and depression. At the same time, this same research indicates that probiotics, such as Life Nutrition’s Advanced Probiotics, can help improve the gut and decrease this risk.
A healthy diet can also mean you feel more energized and less sluggish and unmotivated. When your body gets the right combination of nutrients it needs, it can function at its best.
If you live somewhere where you can’t obtain a variety of nutrients or your lifestyle doesn’t allow the time for you to always grab healthy meals and snacks on the go, supplementation, such as Women’s Everyday Complete and Men’s Everyday Complete, can help you achieve your daily nutritional requirements.
At the end of the day, everyone is different. It’s important to find a type of exercise and a variety of healthy foods you enjoy and can fit into your lifestyle. The goal is to make self-care a regular practice, involving habits and practices you perform daily or weekly.
Exercise and healthy eating are the foundations of self-care and improved self-esteem. Begin building those habits now so you can live the life you want tomorrow.