Self-Care Strategies for Women's Mental Health and Wellness
Often when we ask our friends, family, and colleagues how they are doing, the common response is "Busy!". Life can be especially busy for women who are juggling multiple roles, responsibilities, and expectations. It might feel like there is no time for self-care or that it’s a selfish act. Or it might sound like you are just adding another item to your "to-do" list that you will never get to.
However, there is so much more to self-care than bubble baths, manicures, and going to the gym (although, those can be fun and rejuvenating). It's deeper than that. It's an approach to life and learning what helps us thrive and what does not.
In this blog, we will talk about ways for women to practice self-care as a form of mental health and wellness.
What is Self-Care?
Unlike what you may see on social media or in the movies, self-care is not about extravagance or going out and buying expensive things. An approach to self-care could look something more like simplifying your lifestyle. It's less about organizing what you're doing and more about prioritizing what matters. Self-care is a way for you to become aware of your values and beliefs and to prioritize what gives you life.
It’s not about adding more to your already overloaded plate, but rather learning what to say yes to and what you should let go of. By allowing yourself to relax and nurture yourself, you are giving yourself the opportunity to recharge and refocus. You're also able to recognize what drains your energy and leaves you feeling empty. The act of self-care is not selfish because it helps us to see ourselves and our time as valuable resources that require care to thrive.
Barriers to Women's Self-Care and Mental Wellness
There are many obstacles in the way of taking time for self-care. These can range from external pressures and expectations to a lack of understanding about self-care to women's issues such as wage gaps, limited resources, and a lack of access to mental health services. Additionally, women may feel guilty or ashamed for taking time out of their day to dedicate to themselves.
When it comes to addressing women’s issues in Dallas, TX with self-care and mental wellness, there are strategies women can use to make self-care an integral part of their lives. Self-care doesn't have to be this difficult or expensive chore. It's making the effort to be kind and gentle with oneself, and to put your needs first in a world that often tries to tell you otherwise.
Self-Care Strategies
As a woman who has many roles and responsibilities, it can be easy to forget your own needs. But, here is a reminder that when you thrive, so do others. Think of yourself as a plant placed in an environment where it grows its best—just the right amount of sun, water, drainage, and type of soil. A thriving plant enjoys thriving! And at the same time, it blesses us with its beauty. Also, every plant has different wants and needs, so what works for you to thrive might look very different from someone else.
Beginning Self-Care
Ways to begin integrating self-care into your life is by putting it onto your schedule like an appointment, a playdate, a brunch, or a girls' night out. Remember, self-care is not selfish! Start with an hour each week and allow yourself to do something that makes you feel alive and rejuvenated. This could include reading a book, journaling, taking a walk, meditating, or painting.
Also, let someone who is supportive of you know that you're working on this! You can hold each other accountable. Maybe you can even start inviting others into your self-care. For instance, you can teach your child to set boundaries on activities as you are learning to do the same thing. Or if you are a stay-at-home mom, you may not be able to step away for a break at any given moment. But you might be able to get your child to take 5 deep breaths with you or to get on the floor and stretch together.
Give Yourself Permission
You are a limited resource that can't renew your energy if you don't take the time to do so. Your time and energy are valuable. So give yourself permission to invest in and take good care of yourself. By doing so, you are able to reenergize yourself and not try to pour from an empty cup. And that makes you and how you spend your time even more valuable.
Identify Your Priorities
A part of self-care is realizing what really is needing to be done and what can be let go of. Now one way to help you do this is by identifying your top three priorities. Then you can compare your activities with your values and expectations of how you want to be spending your time and energy. This can help you realize how you are really spending your time and where you need to redistribute your energy. Also, as a side note, I hope you are included in those top three priorities!
Begin Letting Go!
Once you have identified what works for you, it is time to begin letting things go. These are the things you are spending time and energy on that do not fit in with your values or priorities. This is often when we learn to say "no" when something does not line up with what we want to achieve. To make this easier, you can start small. This can be from not wearing makeup one day, skipping an event you felt pressured to attend, or even taking a break from social media for a few days.
Start Small
A lot of the time we can burn out, even with something like self-care, because we adopt the mindset of going too big. Or needing it to be exactly perfect. This can make it easy to get overwhelmed and make you not want to do anything at all. Which is the opposite of what self-care is trying to do. So start small if you need to and experiment with what works for you. And remember that self-care should bring joy into your life. Not stress or financial woes.
Overall, self-care is not a finish line but an ongoing process, and it can look different from day to day. It's all about renewing your energy and feeling as if you are living life according to your priorities. Self-care is about investing in yourself and taking good care of what matters to you most. Most importantly, it's about prioritizing your time, your energy, and implementing balance into your life.
Learn How Self-Care Can Address Women's Issues in Dallas, TX Today!
Taking time for self-care is an important part of life. Especially for women who may be struggling with stress, their mental health, or even relationships. At Sunrise Counseling, we recognize the importance of self-care and our counselors are here to help. They will support you by helping to streamline values and priorities, provide helpful research, and offer practical time management skills. Along with addressing the barriers you face, like guilt and peer pressure. To start Therapy for Women’s Issues in Dallas, TX, follow these steps:
1. Contact Us or Request an Appointment at Sunrise Counseling
2. Meet with one of our caring therapists that specializes in women's issues
3. Begin prioritizing yourself and what matters most to you!
Other Mental Health Services in Dallas, TX
Women's Counseling is only one of the mental health services we offer you at Sunrise Counseling. Our counselors understand that with the barriers to self-care that you face, you may need other coping skills to manage your mental health. We provide a variety of services to clients from our Dallas TX-based therapy office and the surrounding areas including but not limited to the following
Adjustment Difficulties Due to Various Life Changes
Depression
Teen Therapy
Social Difficulties
Attention Difficulties
Self-Esteem Issues
Body image
Parent Training
LGBTQ+ Concerns
Grief and Loss
Career concerns