How Can I Get Motivated To Take Better Care Of Myself?
Self-care is one of the critical ways of ensuring that you are healthy both physically and mentally. Nonetheless, motivation to take care of yourself can be difficult to come by, especially when you are fully engaged in other activities. This article has various techniques that may assist you in getting motivated enough to better take care of your health.
Understanding the Importance of Self-Care
Let’s explore the concept of self-care before the various strategies are discussed. Taking care of yourself isn’t just about pampering yourself every now and then; it’s about living a healthy lifestyle and maintaining it. Proper self-care can lead to:
Improved Physical Health
Physical activity, proper nutrition, and proper rest play an essential role in the prevention of chronic diseases and improve the quality of life.
Enhanced Mental Health
Stress, anxiety, and depression can be managed through activities such as meditation, journaling, and therapy.
Increased Productivity
Caring for the body is important so as to be able to perform well in one’s daily activities and tasks.
Better Relationships
When you feel good about yourself, you will then be in a position to enjoy good relationships with other people.
Petrina is the co-founder of Planet Wellness. She was invited to be a guest speaker at the Valentine’s Ladies Summit in February 2023 organised by Lorrayn De Peyer. This is the recording of Petrina’s talk on “How To Improve Your Confidence Using Nutrition“.
Strategies to Get Motivated
Set Clear Goals
This idea should be implemented by setting specific and achievable objectives as follows: Instead of fuzzy goals like “I should be healthier” have goals such as “I will exercise for thirty minutes three times a week” or “I will eat five portions of fruits and vegetables per day”.
Create a Routine
Repetition, repetition and repetition is the secret of building up new habits. Set a course in the day that is filled with self-care activities to be followed. As time passes, all these activities will become habitual, and you will not even have to think twice about them anymore.
Start Small
Do not attempt to make massive changes, as this creates pressure and stress. Start with baby steps. For instance, begin with mild exercise such as short walks if you rarely exercise or incorporate one healthy meal in your diet each week.
Track Your Progress
Writing down the progress in a diary or using an application can help you to feel that you have achieved something and stay encouraged. Take time to enjoy small successes throughout the process.
Find Activities You Enjoy
Taking care of yourself should not feel like a task or chore that has to be accomplished. Select the activities that you have interests in, this will help you to avoid boredom when engaging in the activities. Doing enjoyable activities such as dancing, hiking, painting or reading makes it easy for one to engage in self-care.
Seek Support
Discuss your self-care objectives with someone close to you who can help support you. You can even make use of the online forums that are available such as the social groups that are formed to support the interest.
Use Negativity as Fuel
At other times, it is possible to harness negative experiences or feelings in the same way one can harness positive ones. In the event that you have had a hard time because of not taking care of yourself, use such times to always remember why it is important to take care of yourself.
Reward Yourself
Establish incentives for yourself that will help you stay motivated and focused. As you hit your target, reward yourself with something that you love; it can be a new book, spa day, or nice dinner, for example.
Visualise the Benefits
People will be more motivated when they have some positive imagery of the things that will happen once self-care is practised. Think about how fresh and great you will be feeling after exercising or how much energy you will have after a good night’s sleep.
Address Mental Barriers
At other times, the barriers to self-care might be of a psychological nature including guilt, fear or low self-esteem. It is important to recognize these barriers and perhaps with the help of a therapist overcome them.
Be Patient and Compassionate
Self-care is not a one-time activity but a process that is lifelong in nature. This means, you should not be overly harsh on yourself and must understand that everyone has some struggles on the way to the goal. Accept yourself and be patient with yourself in case things do not work out as planned.
Request for our free guide 6 Proven Secrets To Improve Your Psoriasis.
If you are suffering from Psoriasis, discover natural proven techniques to improve and even completely reverse your condition by enrolling in our online course Psoriasis Expert Secrets.
Do you know the true meaning of Wellness? Watch and learn from our facebook live video recorded a while back, “What Is Wellness?”
Creating a Self-Care Plan
Creating an individual self-care plan can help to outline the ways of how you can take care of yourself. Here’s a simple template to get you started:
Daily Self-Care
Morning Routine
Start your day positively by engaging in specific activities such as stretching, meditation, or eating a good breakfast in the morning.
Work Breaks
Take frequent short breaks during your working hours to help refresh the mind. Such as going for a brief walk, doing some breathing exercises, or taking a few minutes of mindfulness.
Evening Routine
Unwind in the night with activities such as reading a book, writing in your diary, or taking a warm bath as you prepare to sleep.
Weekly Self-Care
Physical Activity
The daily exercise sessions should be put down on the calendar either daily or weekly. This could encompass exercises in the gym, yoga session, or any other outdoor activities.
Social Connections
Allot some time for socialisation and visiting your friends and loved ones. Interacting with others can help you feel better and find support from other people.
Creative Outlets
Pursue interests and activities that in one way or another, would enable you to have outlets for self- expression.
Monthly Self-Care
Health Check-Ins
Go for regular check-ups or consultations with your healthcare provider. This would help you in monitoring the state of your physical health.
Mental Health
Try to talk to a therapist or a counsellor from time to time even if you do not feel that you need help. Psychotherapy can be a preventive approach to promoting your psychological health.
Personal Growth
Schedule activities related to self-enhancement and personal development, like reading, taking a class, or learning something new.
Overcoming Common Obstacles
Lack of Time
Solution: Incorporate self-care into your daily planner to make it a part of one’s schedule as any other commitment. It has been proven that even small doses of self-care can be helpful.
Lack of Motivation
Solution: It helps to have constant little reminders of why you are doing this and to keep your goals out in the open. Surround yourself with friends and family members who will support your efforts to take care of yourself.
Feeling Guilty
Solution: It should be noted that taking care of yourself is not a sign of being self-indulgent; it is essential. Self-care contributes to improved health and is also necessary for you to be able to care for other people.
The Role of Self-Motivation
One of the most important aspects of self-care is motivation to continue with the routine. Building self-motivation involves:
Self-Reflection
Check your needs and feelings on a daily basis. Knowing what motivates you can assist in adapting the practices to maintain physical and mental well-being.
Positive Thinking
Maintain an optimistic outlook on life by considering the things you can do well and the things you have accomplished. There is nothing more effective than using positive words to encourage yourself and boost your self-esteem.
Discipline
Sometimes, motivation alone cannot work its magic. Discipline is a major component of self-care because it prepares you to stick to your routine even in the moments that you do not feel like doing it.
Self-Reward
You should ensure that your positive behaviour is rewarded. This results in positive reinforcement that may encourage your continued practice of positive self-care behaviours.
Have you ever wondered How you can get motivated to take better care of yourself? Watch our enlightening video to learn “How Can I Get Motivated To Better Take Care Of Myself?”
Conclusion
Caring for oneself is a lifelong process that needs to be followed with commitment and motivation. It is easy to get discouraged and give up on self-care; therefore, it is important to set achievable goals, develop a routine, begin with simple practices, and choose activities that bring joy into your life. It is worth noting that practising self-care is not depriving yourself of something; on the contrary, it is providing your body, mind and soul with a healthy, balanced, and purposeful life. Approach it with the same diligence and gentleness that you would approach any new endeavour, and you’ll discover that the process of taking care of yourself is truly a joy.
Are you ready for the first step towards a more healthy and vibrant you? Our wellness clinic offers a free 15-minute discovery call designed to understand your unique health needs and goals. During this call, our experts will listen to your concerns and guide you on how to achieve your healthiest self. Book a free consultation with us now!
Experience the benefits of health and wellness for your body with USANA CellSentials! This is a highly developed system of cellular nutrition that provides full-spectrum support for your body with 40+ vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients that are essential to protecting and feeding your cells. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to enhance your well-being—click the link now to order your USANA CellSentials and start your journey to better health today: bit.ly/petrinatenusana!
To learn more about Health and Wellbeing, check out our other related blogs:
Comparative Guide To Nutritional Supplements
Health Benefits Of Vitamins And Minerals
The Why and How to Alkalise Your Body
Why Should We Take Supplements?
How To Choose A Multi Vitamin?
NEXT STEPS
Book in a complimentary 15 minutes Zoom call with us (valued at £99) to enable us to clarify questions you may have on a specific health concern.
