Tips for Starting a Self Care Routine

Coming off of one of the biggest events of the year here at the Olivia Caldwell Foundation, I feel like it is a great time to talk about self care. Self Care is so important to your daily health. Without it, you could find yourself extra stressed or worn out and unable to succeed at your daily life. 

Self care comes in many forms. Sleep, exercise, quiet time, boundaries, fresh air, meditation, creative activities, massage, and social media detox! Of course the list could be endless because for each person, their self care looks different. Daily, weekly, monthly, the timing depends on your own self as well. Some might need daily self care, some may only need to decompress and use self care tools once a month. But the important thing is to remember to make that time for yourself!

Engaging in a self-care routine has been clinically proven to reduce or eliminate anxiety and depression, reduce stress, improve concentration, minimize frustration and anger, increase happiness, improve energy, and more. It means that you are simply being mindful of your own needs, so you are better able to support the people you care about. When you take care of yourself and are not stressed, you are better able to meet the needs of others. We are all less able to handle the stresses that come our way when we're depleted by physical and emotional exhaustion. Or, put in a more positive way, we are more resilient and more able to handle life's stress when we are feeling our best both physically and emotionally.

While self-pampering doesn’t always lead to major improvements in overall health, the relaxation you get from it can trigger the relaxation response. This, in turn, can prevent chronic stress from damaging your health. As you can see, self-care is good for you inside and out!

How do you recognize when you are neglecting your self-care needs?

Here are 6 Signs you haven't made self-care your top priority:

**You Skip or Neglect Your Basic Needs.
**You're Always on Autopilot.
**You're Always Doing Something for Someone Else. 
**You've Lost Touch with Friends and Family.
**You Can't Remember the Last Time You Had Fun..
**You Don't Feel Like Yourself Anymore.


If you find yourself in any of the above situations, maybe it is time to look into some strategies for self-care to get you back on track!
Here are a few tips:

**Maintain your friendships.
**Get regular exercise.
**Keep a balanced diet.
**Ask for help and accept it when it is offered.
**Think of yourself as your own best friend.
**Plan something to look forward to, whether that be a trip with your friends or a fun outing

Whatever it is you decide that refuels your insides, make sure you are doing it! The most important thing to remember is you can NOT give from an empty cup. Take care of yourself first, and the rest will fall into place!

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Christy Misplay, Program Assistant

Christy has experience in running a non-profit organization from the ground up and has volunteered wherever she can along the way to help in the fight against cancer and mental health awareness. Her work at the Olivia Caldwell Foundation has a deeper meaning because she experienced firsthand the scare of having a child diagnosed with a rare form of cancer