WHAT IS SELF-CARE?
When I was in college, to become a Registered Nurse, self-care looked like hanging out at Mexican restaurants for margaritas with classmates after a stressful exam. During tough days at work in the hospital, self-care looked like a breakroom with pizza and donuts. Sometimes, self-care came in the form of retail therapy and nail salons with my nurse colleagues. By the end of the day, I realized that my knowledge of self-care had left me feeling empty.
After having my daughter, I didn't know what self-care looked like. I returned to journaling as a form of self-care, something that I did to cope with the passing of my dad in 2015. By taking the time to journal, I was able to stop and thoughtfully consider my life, including areas where I could make positive changes in order to improve my overall well-being. When I journal, I release my feelings and inner thoughts onto the pages. It continuously decreases my stress levels, and I feel at peace with myself.
Journal writing can be a therapeutic tool to navigate life events such as death of a loved one, personal growth, health journeys, living through a pandemic, and relationships.
Journal writing can bring immense benefits to your life. It allows you to gain clarity on complex situations, release emotions without judgment, reflect on your life, improve memory function, cultivate gratitude, improve self-awareness, problem-solving skills, and use it as an accountability tool. By making it a habit, you can unlock your true potential and live a more fulfilling life.
We all have our forms of self-care. What I have realized in life is that self-care comes from within yourself. Happiness and joy from journaling last longer than getting my nails done or retail therapy, plus it is free.
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