The best self-care costs little to nothing

Self-Care is a booming industry currently valued at upwards of $450 billion. With endless offerings of practices and products promising health and wellness, it is impossible not to feel neglected if one doesn’t have a self-care budget.  In fact, in 2018, the average American is said to have spent $199 on self-care expenses each month.  Self magazine estimates the 2020 levels at about $500 per month per person.  A quick survey of market-watch groups and retail analysts revealed forecasts of “spectacular spending” for 2021 as folks emerge from their quarantine bunkers.

With the consumerist version of self-care so ubiquitous and vigorously promoted, many are left wondering whether they can afford self-care, while others conclude that the practice is better left to those without responsibilities. Sadly, the feeling that they are not meeting some self-care investment quota can be a source of angst for some. On the other hand, those who do shell out for optimal self-care are at a loss when they find themselves less than happy.   Case in point, millennials are reportedly the most unhappy generation, yet they outspend boomers 2-1 in their self-care.  Accurate understanding of self-care produces intentional actions to improve and maintain health and wellness, compared to the more popular notion of “treat yourself because you deserve it.”

Practicing self-care entails devoting attention and action to address needs across 8 domains of life: physical, spiritual, emotional, social, financial, intellectual, career, and environmental. Because each person has a different set of needs,  self-care plans must be tailored to the needs of the individual.  Thus, an inventory or assessment of your personal circumstances is highly recommended when developing a self-care plan.

A few tips for a comprehensive self-care plan:

1. Physical: Eat healthy, balanced meals. Sleep at the same time every night, and wake up at the same time every morning. Sleep between 7-9 hrs. each night.  Incorporate as much physical activity into your daily life as possible.  While 30 minutes of exercise is the basic recommendation, it might be a daunting target to start.  Begin where you are.  Perhaps splitting your routine into two 15-minute rounds during the day might feel more attainable.  Make your routine more interesting by using a rotation of different activities.
2. Spiritual: Take time to step out of yourself.  Spiritual practices also allow us to transcend the here and now, and elevate us to a higher plane.  Being rooted in strong beliefs and practices allows for a greater sense of meaning.  Daily spiritual practices can be performed in as little as 5 minutes, be it prayer, meditation or other.
3. Emotional: Allow space for positive emotions such as joy, hope, and empathy. Hardships and other life circumstances may make this aspect of wellness more difficult to achieve.  Some may strive to avoid feeling altogether because their emotions are often negative.  Consequently, positive emotional experiences may require more effort or professional support, such as therapy.
4. Social: Connect with others. Whether in a small group or with one or two close contacts, spending meaningful time with friends on a regular basis is a salve for the soul. If in-person meetings are not possible, shifting to virtual get-togethers can still provide a considerable degree of satisfaction.
5. Financial: Re-evaluate spending habits.  Because finances are one of the most commonly reported sources of stress, improvements to this domain tend to have a ripple effect on overall wellness.  Spending habits hold clues regarding our mental state.  Those experiencing distress sometimes indulge in emotional spending in attempts to self-soothe.
6. Intellectual: Engage your mind. This domain overlaps most, if not all the others. In fact, knowledge of self-care is one of the seven pillars of self-care. A wide range of activities will satisfy this need, including reading, learning a new skill, planning a project, conducting research or attending a presentation.
7. Occupational: Do what you love. The ability to make a living from one’s passion is a privilege available to a few.  Still, most people can find a degree of meaning and enrichment in their occupation. The knowledge that your work is having an impact can counteract other unsavory aspects of a job.
8. Environmental: Take care of your space. Keeping a pleasant and comfortable home is essential to wellness as environment influences mindset.  The performance and maintenance of healthy behaviors can thus be improved by cultivating a stimulating atmosphere.

Admittedly, managing a lifestyle where the above domains are in constant harmonious balance is probably unrealistic.  The challenges of modern society impose increasingly greater demands on every aspect of life.  We are confronted with a barrage of stimuli requiring constant negotiations in personal, social and public spheres.  In some instances, self-care amounts to refusing to burden ourselves with certain demands; whereas in other instances, self-care is achieved by tackling and dismantling an unsustainable reality.

Finally, while holistic self-care does not need to burn a hole in your pocket, it does require considerable attention and planning to get off to a good start.  The practices that you include in your self-care will become more automatic and effortless over time.  When self-care becomes a lifestyle, feeling good becomes the norm.

Sheila LeGrand is a licensed psychotherapist residing in Massachusetts with her husband and their three sons. 

Like most of the pictures on TeensParentsTeachers, the picture posted with this article is courtesy of a free download from Pixabay.com.