Most of us have at least one relative or close friend who does not take care of themselves, and we know how stressful it is for everyone involved. Depending on the person and their condition we are always on the alert for unexpected phone calls, multiple doctors’ appointments and the constant requests, or denials. This is disheartening especially in the situations where we know things could be different if our loved one had only taken care of themselves.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines self-care as the practice of actively taking the time to care for one’s own needs physical, emotional and mental – a conscious effort to nurture one’s own well-being. A person should also care for his or her own spiritual and intellectual needs.

According to WHO, the purpose of self-care is to prevent or control disease, and to preserve one’s overall well being by actively and consistently taking care of one’s health.

WHO understands that self-care is a broad term containing many facets of a person’s life including lifestyle, environmental factors and socioeconomic concerns.

There are certain situations where a loved one or friend is unable to fully practice self-care due to mental illness, paralysis or unhealed childhood trauma. Fortunately, there are therapists, caregivers and support persons who can step in to assist in these cases.

Self-care does not mean lavish, expensive or time consuming activities such as spa treatments and weekend retreats. Rather, basic self-care is the day to day activities of nurturing oneself, such as eating correctly, getting quality sleep and associating with positive people. Obviously, these activities can reduce stress and fatigue, and can give us more energy making us more productive. Other benefits are improved mental health and a better sense of well-being.

We all are drawn to people who are healthy physically and mentally. They are balanced and happy, and are easy to be around. The reverse is true in that the more we take care of ourselves, the more others will want to associate with us. Major research has shown that people who associate with healthy and happy people tend to become more healthy and happy themselves.

In a HuffPost article a forensic psychiatrist lists four rules for healthy self-care (“What Are the Four Golden Rules of Self-Care” by Monifa S. Seawell — June 22, 2017), the four rules listed are self-care is a lifestyle, self-care is not static, self-care sometimes involves elimination, and do not compare your self-care to others as it should be an individual practice.

During this holiday season consider the idea of improving your own self-care practices to give yourself the gift of a healthier life which will also give your loved ones the gift of not needing to be stressed over your well-being.

Email us at info@WellnessWithAge.com. I personally answer every email.

Crystal Linn is a multi-published author and an award-winning poet. When not writing, or teaching workshops, she enjoys reading a good mystery, hiking, and sailing with friends and family. See crystallinn.com.