What is Self Care? 7 Categories and How to Practice It

Self care can be such a tricky and misunderstood concept. It’s often touted as bubble baths, eating chocolate, and letting ourselves off the hook but is it really that? No. Most definitely not. What it really consists of is calling yourself out on your own crap, setting boundaries with others, expressing yourself when it’s difficult, and a slew of other things. Self care, in short, is holding yourself with kind accountability. I like the phrase, “Be hard of your discipline and soft on yourself” in this case.

Below are the 7 categories of self care, their explanations, and examples of how practice them:

1. Physical: These are activities that work on the physical body in a healthy way. This could be exercise, eating well, sleeping well, drinking well, and going to the doctor in a timely manner.
2. Emotional: These activities build emotional well being and resilience. This looks like journaling, therapy, maintaining boundaries, and engaging in joyful activities.
3. Mental: These activities pique intellectual curiosity/interest and reduce stress. These could be reading, skill building, mindfulness, meditation, and avoiding negative self-talk.
4. Social: Healthy relationship building and maintenance, bounday setting, spending quality time with loved ones, and seeking support when needed.
5. Spiritual: Engaging in practices that nurture the soul and provide a sense of purpose, such as prayer, meditation, spending time in nature, or participating in cultural or spiritual rituals.
6. Financial: Managing finances responsibly, budgeting, saving, and seeking financial advice to reduce stress related to money.
7. Environmental: Creating a safe, clean, and calming physical environment, as well as advocating for and participating in sustainability efforts.

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