How Do You Care For Yourself?

When was the last time you stopped to take care of yourself?  In the morning before leaving for work or to start a hectic day, how do you care for yourself first?

The question might seem philosophical, therefore one to just ponder for a while.  But in fact, it’s extremely practical, meaning it is one to use, to put into practice in order to change behavior.

Self-care is really under-rated in American society and perhaps in many other societies too and particularly with women.  For some reason, it seems less than professional to stop and take care of self instead of always being on the go, taking care of others. 

A lack of self-care means facing a potential deteriorating of effectiveness in all aspects of your life over time.  For example, without good nourishment, your cells will become undernourished.  This can lead to all types of diseases including high blood pressure, diabetes and more.  With this, you begin to diminish in effectiveness and abilities to function at a peak level. 

If you are consistently tired, worn-out, your brain is not functioning at peak levels. You’re drawing on adrenaline to keep going, over-taxing your adrenal glands and causing fatigue to overtake your body.

Not caring for your skin can cause you to look older.  Your skin will be less fresh, having dead cells that make your appearance seem dull and faded.  

If you are a professional woman, all of these things can have a negative effect on your ability to appear energetic and productive.  The competition in the world is fierce.  Self-care could be the factor that allows you to be selected over the competition for the big deal or promotion because your “look” exudes confidence and potential.

Think again about the question, “How do you care for yourself?” This time, think about the real, practical ways you do this on a regular basis and what you can do to improve the response.