To be happier, it is clear that one has to prioritize self-care, both inside and out. Despite this, we do not always know how to put it into practice or how to learn to overcome certain difficulties that life puts in our path.
We normally receive hundreds of pieces of advice that are difficult to apply, because, let’s be honest: not all of us have time to meditate, do yoga, go to the gym, walk 10,000 steps a day and have a daily social life. So how can we really take care of ourselves on a daily basis? The first thing is to learn four basic things.
The first is that we must accept our vulnerability, no matter how much we don’t like to show it. The second thing we need take care of ourselves inside and out in different ways: drinking water, eating a balanced diet and spending time outdoors.
The third thing, that we cannot depend on others to take care of ourselves. We must take the appropriate measures, forgetting other people’s opinions. And finally, we must focus on the positive and our growthnot in the bad things that happen to us.
In the end, it is we who decide how to see the world and what importance we give to each aspect of our life. Others may be our support and refuge, but our happiness is not their responsibility, only ours. And how can we put all this into practice? How can we truly take care of ourselves? There are four easy ways to do it.
Connect with our values
Our values and beliefs are at the center of everything. They are what measure what we do, what is important to us, what we want to focus on and, at the end of the day, what gives us an idea of what things motivate us to move forward.
It is normal that with the day-to-day routine we lose our way a little and do not give certain things the importance they deserve. We must make an effort, every time we have to make a decision, to reconnect with them, truly seeking guidance from them in everything we do.
Have compassion for yourself
We all make mistakes. We all make mistakes. But that doesn’t mean we are better or worse people. We must stop beating ourselves up about past things and truly accept ourselves, with all the good and bad. To be happier, one should try to treat themselves as they would a good friend or family member.
We are always our biggest critics and this is something we must change, being kinder and understanding our own life situations. We can do this with positive affirmations, or simply showing patience in the face of our own frustrations. Journaling can also be very useful.
Do things that we really like
It may sound simple, but the truth is that, on many occasions, unconsciously, we put aside our hobbies or those things that we like. If we don’t know what it is, we can try different activities.
It doesn’t always have to be something excessively complex. In fact, it can be the opposite: spending time outdoors, taking a walk, watching a movie, spending time with a loved one, volunteering, starting an artistic hobby, or simply cooking our favorite dish. These are things that show that self-care is really even easier than we think.
feel grateful
To find happiness, one of the most important things is learn to relativize things and feel grateful with all the good we have, even in those moments when it seems impossible to us. We must remind ourselves that there are surely things we can feel lucky about, despite the difficulties we are going through. To do this, it is very useful to think about the good things that happened to us during the day before going to sleep.
These acts are nothing more than four changes in mentality that will help us see life with a fresh and different perspective, and enjoy everything it offers us.
