In short. It’s both. And it’s an emotional and spiritual thing too.
It’s certainly possible to focus on physical exercise, to ensure you practice yoga at lunch or walk 10,000 steps each day. But there are plenty of very slim, yet very worn out people out there. It doesn’t work just to tick the physical self-care box and be done with it. It’s about the whole package.
Humans are whole beings, we are more than just our bodies, we are more than just our brains, we are more than the emotion we are feeling right now and we are certainly more than our gremlins.
Self-care is a package, it’s a personal, bespoke package that works for you and your needs right now. It changes over time as you grow and as your environment changes.
So it’s about giving yourself a scan. Review your brain, your body, how connected you are to your emotions and how easy you find it to step into the bigger picture, to engage with wider perspectives. Rate each on a scale of 1-10, 10 being you at your most healthy. Any areas that need work, write yourself some action points, and start to make some changes.
Taking charge of your own self-care creates a ripple effect. You become an inspirer, giving others permission to take care of themselves too. It isn’t a selfish, or unimportant process, it is the most important process to go through if you want to show up in your life fully, and be the best you can be to those around you.