Over the last two years, we have learned the true meaning of self-care. For a long time, the concept was a part of marketing campaigns for spas or getting alone time, but it is so much more than that. The true meaning of self-care is the ability to recognize when your mental health needs you to take a break. As a parent or caregiver, it’s crucial that you’re able to take time for yourself and teach your girls about the true meaning of self-care. It’s helpful to think about it in terms of four categories: 

• Physical
• Mental
• Emotional 
• Spiritual

Here are some ways to take care of your mind and body in the New Year. 

Physical Self Care

To nurture yourself physically is about exercising, eating healthy foods, and getting enough sleep. We know that the holidays may have been a time for more food and less physical activity, which is why the first of the year is a great time to recommit to healthy living. 

Get back into a routine for yourself and your girls that incorporates life sports such as swimming or running. Commit to healthy eating, including a balanced diet focused on food groups using My Plate as a guideline. And get a good night’s sleep by setting up healthy bedtime routines. 

Mental Self Care

It may be confusing that mental self-care isn’t about your mental health. That’s emotional, and we’ll get to that below. Mental self is about keeping your mind sharp by exercising your brain just like you would the rest of your body. 

For your children, choose age-appropriate games and toys or books that will help them exercise their brainpower and learn new skills. As an adult, you can use puzzle games and apps on your phone or spend time learning about new subjects that interest you. 

Emotional Self Care

For your emotional and mental wellbeing, it’s time to focus on emotional self-care. How do you process difficult emotions like sadness and anger? Now is the time to work on healthy coping skills and change bad habits around your mental wellbeing. 

Therapy can be a critical component of emotional self-care for adults and children alike. If you’re concerned about access, there are several online counseling options. Check out these reviews. When working with children, modeling good behavior is essential. And teach them coping skills to help them productively process their emotions. 

Spiritual Self Care

Spiritual life is also important to incorporate into self-care. It doesn’t matter if you belong to a religious organization or practice a personal spiritual path on your own; focusing on your spiritual journey will help you find balance in your life. 

For many people, spirituality and religion are about community and connection. These are also essential components of self-care. Even if you’re unable to connect by attending a religious service, use the avenues provided by your community through video conferencing and programming. 

We want to hear from you. How do you practice self-care for yourself and your girls?