Self-Care Techniques For Mental Health
Below, we’ll explore self-care and how you can develop practical habits to care for and love yourself.
What is self-care?
Practicing self-love often involves holding your own needs, happiness, and well-being in high regard. Other aspects of self-love may include recognizing that you should not have to sacrifice your needs or harm yourself to please others, accepting yourself as you are, not settling for less than you deserve, and prioritizing your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Self-care involves the energy and actions you incorporate into your daily routine to care for your needs in fulfillment of that love.
According to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, self-knowledge is your knowledge and awareness of your mental states regarding what you think, feel, believe, or desire. Self-knowledge can be a vital part of self-love, as it can help you identify and understand how your experiences affect you—allowing you to recognize similar feelings later and recall the coping skills that are most likely effective in a given situation.
Another facet of loving yourself tends to involve self-compassion, which is related to the kindness you show to yourself in moments of pain and failure. When you practice self-compassion, your reactions might be understanding rather than overly critical if mistakes occur. Self-care includes numerous sub-categories, such as physical, emotional, spiritual, environmental, financial, intellectual, social, and occupational self-care.
Self-love and self-care: Strategies to get you started
Practicing self love typically goes far beyond the desire for mere survival. It can boost your self-confidence, self-acceptance, and self-worth, shifting your mindset toward a positive perspective. When you love yourself, you may feel happier and make more effort to care for your body and mind because it feels good to be healthy. When you feel worthy and deserving of love and respect, you may be less likely to settle and may have a deep understanding that your value doesn't depend on anyone else's opinion of you.
If you experience difficulty loving yourself, you might try some of the strategies below to shift your perspective toward a healthier, more positive outlook. Learning self-love techniques and working self-care into your daily routine can make life feel more fulfilling and help you easily set boundaries and manage external stressors.
Exercise and utilize the power of positive thinking for anxiety and stress
The human brain is one of nature’s most complex organic machines, often working in ways we don't completely understand. While research has demonstrated the power of positive thinking , researchers can’t definitively say why it works—just that it works. One theory suggests that positive thinking serves as a sort of insulation against the damaging impact of stress.
Keep a journal to track your emotions and coping skills
One of the most effective ways to monitor your emotions, stressors, and successful coping strategies is keeping a daily journal to write your thoughts and feelings down. The act of writing in a journal can help you process what you’re feeling and give you a physical record of your progress with self-love and self-care.
Celebrate your achievements
Consider taking time to celebrate the milestones you achieve as you're working on loving yourself. Self-care often takes practice, so try breaking it up into smaller, more manageable steps if you’re feeling overwhelmed. When you're going through a challenging time, it can quickly feel like stressors are coming at you from every direction, but it may help to make time to celebrate when things go well. According to the Harvard Business Review, acknowledging your achievements is part of comprehensive self-care.
Find the little things that you enjoy in life
Other ways to practice self-love and care for yourself include the small things that brighten your day or generally help you enjoy life in various ways. You might make it a point to try to find the little things that bring you joy and work them into your daily life. From keeping your favorite snack in stock to knowing the perfect way to relax and feel good after a tough day, the little things often make the biggest difference.
Plan for the future and work toward those goals
While you can't know the future, it can be healthy to plan for what may come and how you want to get there. Dreams and ambition can help keep you motivated through challenging times and make it easier to maintain a positive outlook focused on the future.
Set realistic goals for yourself
Setting realistic goals can help you avoid unnecessary negative feelings. You are only one person with a set amount of hours and limits to what you can accomplish in them. You might prioritize your time and manage your schedule so that you can achieve the most important things first. Also, it may help to avoid committing to more than you can achieve and to offer realistic timelines when getting involved in projects so that you aren't overly stressed by deadlines.
Further tips for self-care and mental health
Self-care can look different for each person, and strategies can be tailored to the needs of each person. The following are some tips you might consider implementing into your self-care routine in a way that works for you.
More self-care techniques for the mind and body
- Reach out to and connect with the people in your social network.
- Utilize the sensory input from your five senses to recenter yourself and help manage stress reactions.
- Eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly, and maintain healthy sleep hygiene.
- Spend time doing the things that provide comfort and solace.
- Develop your sense of emotional intelligence so you can recognize and understand your feelings to communicate them effectively.
- Tackle something on your to-do list that you’ve been avoiding.
- Improve your focus, calm, and emotional balance with a mindful lifestyle involving meditation, relaxation techniques, yoga, or deep breathing strategies.
- Practice gratitude daily.
- Challenge your negative thoughts and use positive affirmations to boost self-esteem and reassure yourself through tense situations.
Know when to reach out for help with self-care techniques
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, mental health symptoms generally become a concern requiring professional help when they persist for two weeks or more. However, therapy can benefit many people who aren’t experiencing signs of a mental health condition. A qualified therapist can help you understand how and why you're feeling a certain way and develop healthy, adaptive ways to respond to situations and manage your stress reactions.
Therapy for better sleep, eating habits, and overall mental health
You may benefit from the support of a therapist if you experience the following symptoms:
- You have trouble sleeping.
- You experience significant changes in your weight, eating habits, or appetite.
- It is often difficult to get out of bed due to a low or depressed mood in the mornings.
- You have challenges with concentrating or focusing.
- It is difficult to take pleasure from or interest in things you used to enjoy, a condition called anhedonia.
- You experience functional impairment that interferes with your daily responsibilities and actions in one or more areas of your life.
How therapy can help support your self-care goals
If you’re interested in talking to a therapist about how to enhance your self-care, you can search for someone in your community or talk to a licensed online therapist. Online therapy platforms like BetterHelp allow you to connect with a therapist via phone or videoconferencing from the comfort of your home or anywhere you have an internet connection. You can also contact your therapist via in-app messaging, and they’ll get back to you as soon as they can.
Researchers at the American Psychological Association concluded that online therapy can be as effective as traditional in-office therapy. Some people who have tried online therapy have stated that the physical distance made it easier to discuss personal details with their therapist, and the convenience allowed them to attend more appointments—both of which may increase the duration and effectiveness of therapeutic outcomes.
Takeaway
Why do I struggle to love myself?
Many individuals struggle with practicing self-love due to a perceived inability to find or live as our authentic self. A wide variety of factors may lead to these feelings including negative self-image, low self-esteem, troubling past experiences, rigid societal standards, adverse relationships, or unrealistic cultural expectations.
What are five ways to love yourself?
While there are many ways to practice self-love, five specific ways include:
- Surround yourself with positive people and influences.
- Set boundaries and make time for self-care.
- Forgive yourself for past mistakes.
- Set realistic goals and expectations for yourself.
- Celebrate your small achievements.
How do I keep loving myself?
Loving yourself consistently takes focus, effort, and introspection. It is important to remember that self-love is not a linear journey. While facing challenges in life is unavoidable, through engaging in activities that bring you joy, surrounding yourself with positive influences and practicing self-care and self-compassion, you can build and maintain a healthy foundation of self-love. Here are some specific strategies to bolster your self-care plan:
- Ask for emotional support from friends and loved ones when you need it.
- Get enough sleep each night.
- Prioritize your physical health by getting regular exercise and eating a healthy diet.
- Boost your social well-being by expanding your social connections and making new friends.
- Seek professional help to gain advanced mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional self-care skills.
What are the signs of not loving yourself?
Signs of not loving yourself or low self-esteem often include constant self-criticism, self-deception, negative self-talk, seeking external validation, and avoiding self-care. People who do not love themselves often do not care much about their psychological well-being or overall health. However, a lack of self-care might further lower self-esteem and self-respect, making it even harder to love yourself. It might also be helpful to specifically look for things you like or love about yourself to give yourself appropriate insight into who you really are.
How do I learn to start loving myself?
Learning to love and hold positive feelings towards yourself often begins with looking inward, acknowledging your worth, and practicing self-compassion. When learning self-love, it can be helpful to speak kindly to yourself, and remember that you deserve respect from others as well. It is often helpful to begin by focusing on specific self-care practices. Taking care of yourself can sometimes be challenging if low self-esteem or self-respect impacts your motivation. However, focusing on self-care is likely to help improve your feelings about yourself, even if you start small. Here are some self-care tips that can help lay the foundation for a more effective self-care plan:
- Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water and eating a healthy diet.
- Get some form of physical activity, even if it's not up to the standard of a full workout.
- Learn relaxation strategies like breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, or meditation techniques.
- Consider spending time in nature or other natural greenspaces, which is shown to boost mental and emotional health considerably.
- Engage in social activities like playing board games with friends, visiting family, or joining a local group for your favorite hobby.
- Work with a professional to learn stress management and self-improvement techniques.
What are the seven steps to loving yourself?
While specific steps to self-love vary, consider taking steps toward self-awareness, self-acceptance, and positive habits such as:
- Practice self-awareness: Reflect on your thoughts and feelings without judgment.
- Cultivate self-compassion: Be kind and understanding toward yourself, especially in challenging moments.
- Set boundaries: Learn to say no and establish healthy limits in your relationships and commitments.
- Celebrate achievements: Acknowledge and celebrate your successes, no matter how small.
- Prioritize self-care: Make time for activities that bring you joy, relaxation, and fulfillment.
- Challenge negative thoughts: Replace self-critical thoughts with positive and affirming ones.
- Seek support: Talk to friends, family, or a mental health professional for guidance and encouragement.
How do you gain self-love and confidence?
Building self-love and confidence requires time, patience, effort and introspection. By challenging negative thought patterns, shifting your focus to your positive traits and progress, celebrating small victories and seeking help and support when necessary, you can build a strong and healthy foundation of self-love and respect. Many people begin by focusing on physical and mental self-care. Self-care isn’t a specific intervention to gain confidence, but it is part of building a foundation for self-love and high self-esteem. Good self-care can help you avoid burnout while building confidence, help you address things you feel guilty about, and help you develop a more positive self-image.
How do I accept myself?
Self-acceptance often begins with identifying your authentic self, practicing self-compassion, and recognizing that imperfections are a part of being human. Spend time looking inward, recognizing your positive traits and acknowledging progress and victories, both big and small. Additionally, avoiding self-comparison and negative influences can be crucial in working toward accepting yourself as you are.
It is also often helpful to take a few seconds to confront negative or adversarial thoughts and feelings you may have about yourself. You can confront adverse beliefs about yourself and question them. Do they genuinely reflect who you are? Can you come up with an argument against them? Do you have evidence people feel that way about you, or does the feeling come from you alone?
How can I love myself when nobody else does?
In many cases, negative influences such as antagonistic friends, family members, and colleagues can lead individuals to feel unloved by those around them. By prioritizing your well-being, setting boundaries and seeking professional support when needed, you may develop the tools to practice self-love, develop healthy relationships, and expect respect from those around you.
What does self-love look like?
In general, self-love looks like self-acceptance and self-forgiveness. By treating yourself with kindness, embracing imperfections and replacing negative thinking patterns with positive thoughts about yourself and your progress, you can build and maintain a healthy foundation of self-love. Behaviorally, self-love often looks like maintaining adequate self-care. Physical self-care includes things like stopping to drink water, eating a healthy diet and sticking to an exercise routine. Social self-care might look like spending time with friends or reaching out to those who can provide emotional support. Emotional self-care often includes things like treating yourself with kindness, questioning negative thoughts about yourself, and setting healthy boundaries. Many people also practice spiritual self-care, which involves identifying specific spiritual practices that resonate with you and incorporating them into daily life.
How can I use sleep as a self-care strategy?
One can focus on a good sleeping routine to practice self-care. Sleep can improve mood, memory, learning, and mental performance, which can help with daily tasks. A person who is well-rested may be capable of having more focus and can better absorb information. Getting adequate sleep is often considered part of good physical self-care. Without that self-care, important foundational elements most humans need to thrive are missing.
How does self-care reduce stress and anxiety?
Self-care exercises such as meditation, journaling, or even talking to a therapist or psychologist can help in reducing stress and anxiety. These activities can serve as an outlet for you to release pent-up emotions, lightening your load, and making you feel better.
What is a good self-care exercise for the body and mind?
Low-intensity activities such as walking, running, hiking, riding a bike, and more can be considered exercise activities for self-care. In addition to that, more rigorous activities such as running and swimming are also recommended. Any activity that increases your heart rate and promotes mobility and mental cognition is good enough to be incorporated into your daily exercise routine. Physical self-care also includes health-promoting and maintaining behaviors, like adhering to medication routines, cleaning and bandaging a wound site properly, or visiting a healthcare professional if problems arise.
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