We are living in a modern busy society where everything is so quick that we almost have no time to really focus on our most vital part, our breathing. Most of us "forget" how to breath which is the most essential thing to live well and be connected with our body. This can often disconnect us from ourselves. When we are disconnected, we start to feel imbalance and we might hardly see the positive side of things in our lives.

 When the disconnection is present, we seem to forget that we are human beings with simple needs and wishes and if we do not find time to answer these matters, we end up feeling overwhelmed, lost and our joy for life is fading. We start to search pleasure in subjects that apparently seem important which in reality are not as important as we think.

Self-care is not only about caring for our physical needs. Self-care is caring for all our needs; physical, mental and emotional.
When we experience something impactful or less positive our body passes through different reactions that can put a weight on ourselves. Our body feels contracted, tight, even unsettled. These are normal reactions as a result of our varied daily experiences.

Our emotional body is under stress as well and can loose easily its balance. In order to avoid reaching this state, we should always prioritize self-care. 

For many, self-care is just taking their daily meals and hydration, then they return again doing work, work and more work. Work is so beneficial for us to keep us functional, happy or active, but self-care is as important as work is.

Self-care is taking the time to just be, to exist, to be present. Start with your breath. Take time to work on your breathing. Breath in… Breath out… Ah… That is much better, is it not? You can also exercise with your breathing. Breathing exercises are so beneficial for our composure. Once you start doing them you just want to continue, because you really feel the benefits that they bring and you feel recharged.

Physical activity is also an important part of the self-care routine. Anything that keeps you on the move and activates your circulatory system should be a priority. Try to apply active movement to your life for a healthy body and for your well being. Take daily nature walks or do forest bathing. 

The most recent studies in neuroscience discovered that when we take a forest walk for at least six hours there is an increase of the number of our healthy cells that improves our immune system function. The level of the same cells persists in our body for around three to four weeks and will sustain the immune system when our bodies are less strong. 

Self-care means as well, taking the time to enjoy every small thing from your daily life, such as eating or drinking. A cup of warm tea or a warming drink that brings you comfort. We all should take pleasure in small things. They seem small, but they have a huge positive impact in our lives. When we consider all these, we are more focused and more eager to continue with our daily tasks.

Self-care is our reminder that we are human beings with physiological needs and emotional well-being is key. We should always prioritize time for rest and relaxation. Choose your own rhythm and never forget how important it is to just breath, be present and enjoy your life.

Call a good friend and talk about your life experiences. Connect with the people that have the same principles as you and to whom you really feel connected. Listen closely when they share their life experiences with you and share your sincere advice, if they ask for it. This can also be a form of self-care. When you care for others you care automatically for yourself, because you feel that you truly do something that matters for someone else with all your heart.

Try as well to reserve time daily in your self-care routine for journaling. At grace and glory of nature, we call it mental self-care. Nothing is more relaxing or more enjoyable than taking care of your mental health. When the mind is silenced our inner being finds easily its state of wellbeing. Our mind needs its time to rest. Stay healthy and also take time for self-care. This is the number one priority that we should all have.