Self-Love, Self-Care, Self-Acceptance ~ Welcome 2022

As we welcome another year, we are still in the midst of the pandemic and for many 2021 has been yet another hard year.

I love the start of a new year as I feel I am being given a clean piece of paper to start writing my next chapter, having learnt life lessons from the last. I think, this new year, we all need to prioritise self-care and self-love. The effects of lockdowns, isolating, illness and economic struggles may only now start to show. During these hard times, we go into auto drive, we cope. However now things seem to be slowing down, the negative impact they may have had on our mental health and wellbeing may begin to become more apparent.

That is ok!!! But it is important to recognise it. Parents may also start to see changes in their children’s mental health and wellbeing as a result. My advice is to seek professional help. The sooner you start to work through these struggles and the sooner your child does, the quicker you will see an improvement and feel better.

For me, the pandemic has taught me so much. I will be taking these life lessons with me into 2022. So instead of setting strict resolutions that are usually unachievable and lead to me feeling low when I fail at them. I propose this year we set mission statements instead. For example, my mission statement is ‘Grow, learn and relax through self-care’

What does self-care look like? Well the truthful answer is that self-care looks different for everyone. For some it is meditation, some is exercise, some is reading etc. One size does not fit all.

Examples:

• Stay hydrated and take vitamins to support your immune system.

• Exercise and get fresh air.

• Journal and meditate

• Eat healthier.

• Relax with a book.

• Take a bath.

There is a big difference between changing yourself and bettering yourself. I don’t want a New Year New Me. I am actually content with who I am, however that doesn’t mean I won’t always strive to learn from my mistakes and grow. I think along with self-care for 2022, there needs to also be self-acceptance and self-love. Instead of writing lists of all the things we dislike about ourselves, or all the things we want to change, perhaps we could write lists of all the things we love about ourselves. Reframe ‘the things I want to change’ to ‘what have I learnt about myself’

Life moves at a very fast pace, so this year take it one step at a time. Everyone’s main goal in life, if we really think about it, is happiness. So what is it that makes you happy? And how can we learn to notice when we are starting to spiral and become entwined in negative, unhappy patterns; and what strategies can we put in place to bring us back to happiness. Identify what things lead to feelings of unhappiness: Gossiping? Not getting the right work life balance? Binge drinking or eating? Lack of sleep? Once you have identified these things, your aim would be to try and limit them and also acknowledge when they are occurring. Remember your new year mission, this should underpin your actions.

Let go of:

• Comparing yourself to others.

• Self-doubt.

• The need to people please – It is ok to say NO.

Focus on:

• Self-belief.

• Self-love.

• Self-care.

• Self-acceptance.

Move into 2022 proud of who you are, aware of the lessons you have learnt and the growth you are ready to do.

#happiness #selfcare #selflove