Making Self-Care A Priority

By now, your resolutions for 2022 may be looking increasingly difficult to keep. It may be harder to avoid the temptation of sweets or finish an entire book on a weekly basis now that we’re a few weeks into the new year. While you don’t have to stick to your resolution, it’s crucial to maintain your intent behind it. No matter what your resolution was, the goal was to improve yourself in some shape or form. In other words, having goals for the new year means that you are paying attention to your self-care! So good for you! That is wonderful! And whether you’re able to follow through on a specific goal or not, don’t give up on improving yourself and your overall wellbeing. Even a little bit of self-care practiced consistently can make a difference! Here are some tips on making self-care a priority…


What is self-care and why is it important?
Self-care is how you take care of both your physical and your mental health. It is vital to living a healthy and fulfilling life. And isn’t that what life is all about? So not only does it make you feel good, it can also have an abundance of benefits. Here are a few benefits of practicing self-care:

  • It elevates your physical health and longevity

  • It improves your ability to cope with life’s stressors 

  • It helps you positively interact with others

  • It decreases feelings of anxiousness and depression

  • It boosts performance


What does positive self-care look like?
There are many ways to practice positive self-care, whether it be physically or mentally. Here are some examples:

  • Physical Health

    • Getting enough sleep

    • Having regular check-ups with your doctor and dentist

    • Exercising daily

    • Eating a balanced diet

    • Taking care of your personal hygiene (i.e., showering, grooming, dental care, putting on clean clothes, etc.)

  • Mental Health

    • Practicing mindfulness

    • Reading or journaling

    • Hiking in nature

    • Engaging in hobbies that make you happy

    • Socializing

    • Talking with your therapist, friends, or family

    • Participating in spiritual practice (ie., attending religious services, mediation, etc.)

    • Getting involved in your community and helping others

Tips on setting self-care goals
Starting your self-care journey can sometimes feel overwhelming. You might not know where or even how to start. Or maybe your current self-care routine can feel stagnant or boring. Here are some tips on setting new self-care goals that you can see through.

  • Start small and make them attainable. Introducing one or two new goals makes it easier to attain and not feel like too much. Furthermore, the empowerment of attaining those small steps can inspire you to keep the ball rolling. Adding too many things at one time can result in giving up and ultimately making you feel defeated. Try picking a goal that is important to you. Doing so will keep you motivated and less bored.

  • Make your goal measurable. In order to see results, you must be able to track them. So if your goal is to walk more, quantify how many days and how long your walk could be. 

  • Write them down. Putting your goals on paper holds you accountable to them. Placing it somewhere visible will also be a good reminder. Be sure to be encouraging with your words to give yourself an extra motivating boost. 

  • Set a time frame and check-in. Placing a time limit helps with motivation as well as knowing when to celebrate your successes. At the end of your time frame, you can track progress and see what you need to adjust or even add to your goals.

No matter what self-care goal you set for yourself, the important thing is that you begin. Consider what you can do to enhance your life, even in a small way. Prioritizing your health is important; it can have a multitude of benefits that can positively impact your life and those around you. So don’t wait and go get started practicing self-care!

Kathy Hui, MSW