Hello everyone!
Why is it that many of us don’t prioritise looking after ourselves? We spend a lot of time ensuring that the people we love are taken care of, but we don’t extend this same courtesy to ourselves, instead choosing to not bother. The reason will likely be slightly different for everyone, but, in all honesty, the reason doesn’t matter. This has got to stop, and you have got to start looking after yourself properly.
The only way to do this, though, is to properly dedicate yourself to being better, showing up for yourself, and wanting to live a better life. You have to make this choice, and you have to want it. If you don’t, then you’re never going to be successful. In this article, we’re going to be taking a look at some of the things that you can do to make looking after yourself one of your priorities going forward, so keep reading if you would like to find out more.
Set up an exercise regime
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The first thing on the list is that you should be setting up some kind of exercise regime. It might not sound important, but exercise is crucial to both your physical and mental health. Those who exercise regularly are generally in better condition than those who don’t bother and prefer to live the life of a couch potato. Now, I'm not saying that there’s nothing wrong with having a day off per week or so, but other than that, you need to be doing some kind of activity regularly. Your body needs you to move to stay fit and healthy, so if you’re not doing this, the only person that you are hurting is yourself.
You might think that there is no exercise that you would enjoy, but you’re probably wrong. I have yet to come across a single person who doesn’t like at least one type of exercise. Yes, sometimes you’re going to have to do things that you don’t enjoy, but that doesn’t mean that walking or swimming, for example, can’t be your main form of exercise if this is what you enjoy.
Work on what you’re eating
Another thing that you are going to need to do is ensure that you’re working on what you are eating. If you’re going to put effort into exercise, then you should also be putting effort into controlling your diet. We know that most of the foods that are bad for us are the ones that taste the best, but this doesn’t always have to be the case. You can make some delicious meals from healthy ingredients if you know how to cook and are willing to try a few new flavour combinations. Trying new things is the best way to learn what does and doesn’t work together, so if you can’t cook and you’re constantly relying on takeout or ready meals, you’ve got to change this fast.
I recommend that you do some research into nutrition and put some effort into understanding what does what for your body. Get a better understanding of why you need certain nutrients and what large quantities of saturated fats and sugars do to your body. When you understand, you might find it easier to change your diet.
Look after your mental health
It’s not just about physical health, though, because mental health is also important. We often push this to the back of the queue, but it’s just as important as taking care of your body. You will find that the two are linked in multiple ways, and if you want to take care of one, you’re going to need to take care of the other too. This isn’t always going to be easy, and you’re probably going to struggle more than you’re not, but I promise you that it’s going to be worth it.
So, how can you look after your mental health? This is a deeply personal question and is likely going to look a little different for everyone. Most people tend to find that speaking about the way that they are feeling and not pushing themselves to the point of burnout are two of the most important elements of looking after their mental health. There is nothing wrong with speaking up about how you are feeling, even if nobody understands it. At the end of the day, a problem shared is a problem halved.
Get professional help where needed
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There are going to be times when professional help may be needed in an area of your health. This might include going to the doctor; it might include visiting a dentist or perhaps a psychiatrist. It depends on what you are struggling with at any given time and who the right professional will be to help you. We know that there are people who put off seeing a professional when they know they need help, but why? What’s the point? You don’t get points for suffering the most, so get the help that you need when you need it.
It might be the case that you end up getting a service dog for ptsd and your entire life changes for the better. Or perhaps the doctor will give you some medication that helps you feel better. Getting help is not weak, and it’s time that we stopped pretending that it is.
Set yourself realistic goals
Realistic goals are one of the most important parts of looking after yourself. When you dedicate yourself to making changes for your overall health, you need to have a path that you can follow that leads to your best life. The mistake that a lot of people make is that they try to set one goal and then just push their way there. It’s going to take a long time to reach that goal, and it can be extremely disheartening. This often causes people to quit and go back to the way that they were living before, even if they were making large chunks of progress, simply because they don’t see it.
If you set smaller goals, you can achieve them one by one, using them as stepping stones to get to where you want to be. By doing this, you will then be able to track your progress a little better, see how far you have come, and feel a sense of accomplishment every time you meet one of your smaller goals. It gives you the encouragement and motivation that you need to succeed.
Take some time for yourself
Too many of us bend over backwards for people who wouldn’t do the same for us, and why? We do this. We don’t want to upset other people because we don’t want to feel as though we’re letting anyone down, right? But what about you? You’re letting yourself down every single time you put others before yourself, saying yes when you don’t want to, and generally not giving yourself what you need.
It’s time that you start taking back some of your time for yourself, making sure that you are taking care of yourself before you take care of other people. At the end of the day, you can’t take care of others if you are struggling yourself because you will burn out, and then you won’t be able to help anyone! If you are worried about upsetting people by setting boundaries, remember that the only people who will be upset by this are the ones who benefit from you having none.
Make sleep a priority
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Some people struggle with sleep, and some people sleep like the dead. If you’re in the latter category, then great job for you, because that means you’re likely getting enough rest. But if you are someone who struggles with sleep, you have got to try and rectify this as soon as possible. Sleep plays a pivotal role in both your mental and physical health, so you do want to try and get those seven hours where you can.
You can try setting yourself a bedtime and a wake-up time so that it starts to form a routine. You can also try removing all tech gadgets from your bedroom, investing in a better-quality mattress, getting black-out blinds, and setting a bedtime routine. Try all of these things, and if none of them work, that’s when you should see a doctor to look into getting some assistance.
I hope that you have found this article helpful and now see some of the ways that you should be ensuring that taking care of yourself can be put at the forefront of your goals. The more effort that you put into this, the more likely you are to see success and feel better than you ever have before. I know that it’s a bit of an adjustment, but I promise you that it’s going to be worth every single second when you’re finally living a life that makes you feel good.
Thank you for reading, and until next time, take care.
