How to Treat Yourself With Care

By Amy Sherman, LMHC

Throughout the day, do you ask yourself what you can do to enhance your well-being? Probably not, since most people will think it selfish and self-centered. The problem with that kind of thinking is that when you love and care for yourself, it inevitably helps everyone around you and positively impacts your world.

Love for your family and friends starts with your inner peace and contentment. Therefore, it's so important to refuel daily with moments of silence or laughter to recharge emotionally and physically.

Here are some effective ways you can treat yourself with special care and thoughtfulness:

Be forgiving and tolerant - cruel words will hurt you, insensitivities will annoy you, but do you want to have that the focus of your daily life? Of course not. Therefore, let the little things go and the big things push aside for later. You are worthy of a joyous day that is not impacted by the actions of others.

Appreciate and be grateful - let acts of kindness into your heart with graciousness and acceptance. After all, don't you deserve it? The next time someone gives you a gift, a compliment or some help, accept it and simply say, "Thank you."

Control your life, not everyone else's - people are not going to act like you want them to. But you can always act with integrity, compassion, kindness, etc. in spite of them. This is how you maintain responsibility for yourself and positively influence your relationships. Reduce your stress - say "no" more often, delineate tasks and BREATH. Be sure enjoyment plays some part in your day so that anger, frustration or sadness does not prevent you from feeling good.

Don't depend on others to make you happy - explore your own avenues for joy and fulfillment and take the risks to get there.

When you break through your inhibitions about caring for yourself and incorporate some of these wise and effective behaviors, you will naturally attract more love and caring into your life. It's the deep and long-lasting feeling of peace and contentment that you deserve, and that you want, that makes it easy to be more mindful and caring of yourself.

About the author: Amy Sherman, LMHC is the author of Distress-Free Aging: A Boomer's Guide to Creating a Fulfilled and Purposeful Life

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