3 Tips to Care for Yourself

3 Tips to Care for Yourself

By Minjun Wang

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The last few decades had witnessed tremendous changes in life styles in our human society. Advances in science and technologies, economy development, emigration, and social-political transformation all have done their fair shares of contribution on macro and micro levels worldwide.

Good or bad?

Today I think we can just leave this discussion to philosophers and politicians. As a treating clinician, I keep coming across clients whose conditions more or less reflect impact of being overloaded or overwhelmed by explosion of information, like anxiety, guilt, shame, panic attack, low self-esteem……

It is sad to say that the list can go on and on.

How do we deal with it for the sake of our well-being?

Following are three tips to help care for yourself without adding more to-dos in your already crowded schedule:

First, claim your “me-time” and “me-space. It can come in many forms:

—5 minutes alone before cooking for your kids……

—Regulating your breath while listening to your favorite music……

—Closing your eyes and imagining yourself on vacation for 60 seconds……

—Silencing your phones and computer for 1 minute……

Be creative for yourself. You will fit this in your schedule any time anywhere.

Second, decluttering your life, space and schedule.

Clearing your junk mail folders; donating the goods that outgrow your needs; resolving unfinished business, cutting down on unnecessary socials; learning to say no to unreasonable demands of others……

Without making room for something and someone we value the most, our life is doomed to a dreadful waste.

Last but not the least, slow down and simplify your life.

I bet a lot of people agree that life in itself is more complicated than we desire. There may not be that much room left for us to change this fact. However, slowing down our pace and enjoy simple beauty of life can be quite doable.

Still remember last time you heard birds chirping on your way home?

The warm smiles of your loved ones?

The heart-felt hug by someone who cared about you?

Or even smell of the green grass and a beam of sunshine?……

Of course, the self-care tips can be much more than what we’ve talked about in this post. Anyone who truly values his/her personhood can definitely find their own unique ways.

The point is, are you one of them?