Showing all posts tagged self-care

In General

Looking After Yourself and Others

Author Nicki CawoodPosted on
Looking After Yourself and Others

If you have people who depend on you, such as children or elderly relatives, then you’re going to want to make sure that they are well looked after, no matter what. Nothing gives us a sense of peace and well being more than knowing the people we love and care about are ok. We have two boys so for us, this is important and is something that we’ve thought about a lot.

Looking After Yourself Matters
You can’t expect your loved ones to feel well looked after if you’re not looking after yourself. Have you ever heard the phrase ‘you can’t pour from an empty cup’? Well, it’s true! If you’re exhausted, stressed out, and unhealthy in general, you’re going to be in no fit state to take care of the people you love. At the very least, you won’t be great company. I certainly am not when I’m tired.

Looking after yourself directly affects the people that you love. Did you know that if you feel stressed out, your kids can pick up on it and get stressed out too? Studies have shown that parents who are stressed tend to raise stressed kids. In studies, many children reportedly said that the one thing they wished to change about their home life was less stressed parents. If that isn’t enough reason to start taking care of your physical and mental health, nothing will be.

Below are some ideas of what you can do to get started:

  • Start eating whole, healthy foods. Cook from scratch and meal prep so you don’t eat junk.
  • Get moving as often as you can, even if you just walk. Aim for 10,000 steps a day. Sitting is the new smoking apparently (I don’t smoke but I do sit…. a lot).
  • Try to be present in everything you do, especially when spending time with your loved ones. Avoid spending too much time on a screen.
  • Identify the things that stress you out and work to eliminate or reduce them.
  • Get plenty of sleep and be consistent with your bedtime/wake up routine.
  • Take some time to do things you enjoy, such as a hobby. You’re setting an example to the people who look up to you.

Remember, if there’s something you don’t like, you have the power to change it. This is great advice because honestly, self-care is essential if you want to be in the best position to help others.

Thinking About The Future is Crucial
Thinking about the future is something people tend to do in terms of, ‘what shall I cook for dinner tonight?’ or even ‘is there anything else we need to sort out for holiday next week?’. However, thinking about unpleasant things that could happen is also important. What will your family do if you’re no longer able to look after them? Sorting out a will and a power of attorney should be on your priorities list, as well as naming beneficiaries and keeping those things updated. If you have an elderly loved one who may soon need help, you might want to look at services they may come to need such as super carers so you’re prepared and don’t panic when the time comes.

Putting money into an emergency fund, as well as finding things to invest in so you can build wealth and have a comfortable retirement is also important. Living in the moment can be helpful, but you do need to plan for the things that really matter.

We are maybe half-way through the list of “looking after yourself” items above which means that we’ll be in a good position to look after others if and when the time comes. Are you ready, organised and so on? If not, it might be time to seriously think about what you want and need for your future and the future of your dependents.

In Health and Exercise, Self-Care, Women's Interest

Loneliness

Author Nicki CawoodPosted on

loneliness

Today is World Mental Health Day and I want to talk about loneliness. New research has shown that loneliness is no longer just a problem that only impacts older people, it can also impact younger people too. What this new research highlights is the fact that a large percentage of adults are reporting feeling loneliness for one reason or another, which is a rather sad concept – no one should feel lonely. Loneliness is something that many experience every day.

I’m not going to lie, loneliness can be difficult to deal with and can have a huge impact on your mental health and happiness, which is why it’s essential that if you are struggling with loneliness that you take steps to change that.

The fact is that while it’s not always easy to improve the social life that you have and step out of leading a lonely life, it is possible to do so. Are you wondering what it takes to lead a more sociable life and stop feeling lonely? Have a read of the tips below and implement them in terms of how you lead your life.

Step Outside of Your Comfort Zone

One of the number one reasons that people suffer from loneliness is because they struggle to step outside of their comfort zone. If you are the kind of person who struggles with anxiety, stepping outside of your comfort zone might not be as easy as you would think. It’s hard to be brave but worth the effort. You need to find the courage to take that leap of faith, a great way to do that is to set an incentive for yourself if you manage to do something that you wouldn’t normally do. You might find that despite wanting to that you just can’t, and in that case, it could be time to ask for

Set Aside Time for Socialising

With the hectic work schedules that many of us have, it’s not always easy to make time for seeing friends or making new friends. However, unless you want to be lonely, it’s essential that you set aside time each week for seeing your friends or for making new ones. Take a look at your weekly schedule and determine when and where you can fit time in to socialise. By making time for this you can ensure that you actually have time to see your friends. It’s all about prioritising your self-care.

Try Something New

Sometimes, it can feel impossible to make new friends. Meeting new people is easy when you’re younger; when you’re mixing with lots of people at school or university, but as you get older it can become extremely difficult to meet new people. One of the best ways to meet someone new is by trying out new things.

The first step to take when it comes to finding something new to do is to Google activities in your local area. You will be amazed at the wide range of options that are available for you to try, from tango classes to sign language classes. You will also find that there are various socials arranged, such as walks, *pub crawls, and sports match watching events that anyone can attend. It’s not always easy making new friends, but trying out new things can make the process far easier, particularly if you attend a wide number of different local activities and events.

Not sure what to try out? Think about what you enjoy doing and look for local events and activities that might fit your interests. For instance, say you enjoy playing sports, perhaps you could find a local sports club to join, or if you’re someone who loves to cook, perhaps you could opt to join a local cooking class.

Loneliness is a serious problem and can have a serious impact on your general health and happiness, which is why it’s so important that you find a way to combat loneliness and improve your social life in a positive way. Hopefully, the tips and ideas above will help you to do that, so that you can prevent lonliness and associated problems from occuring in your life.

If you are struggling with any physical or mental health issues please see your GP who will be able to offer tailored support to meet your individual needs and also signpost you to other sources of help.

*Always drink responsibly.

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