From Surviving to Thriving: Embracing the Practice of Self Care by Richard Uzelac
Challenges can be motivating for many people because they offer a sense of purpose, excitement, and accomplishment. When we set a challenge for ourselves, we create a goal to work towards, which can give us a sense of direction and focus. The act of striving to meet that goal can be energizing and inspiring and can help us feel more engaged and invested in our lives. But oftentimes, we feel overwhelmed. Which I feel is very common for most people. With many things going on in our lives, such as juggling work, family, and others, we tend to forget that self-care is a priority too
Richard Uzelac on the Importance of Self-Care: Why We Need It and How to Make It a Priority
Often we find ourselves in situations where we feel that we should give in to all our daily obligations, projects, and tasks. But as a lifelong learning person and as a believer in Stoicism, I believe that we should prioritize our own well-being overwork and that we should not allow external circumstances or other people to control our emotional states. While it is important to work hard and strive for success, it is equally important to take care of ourselves and cultivate our own inner strength. As Stoics believed, we should focus on what is within our control and accept that there are many things in life that are beyond our control.
We can control our thoughts, emotions, and actions, and by cultivating self-awareness and self-care, we can better navigate the challenges of life. Here are some of the ways that I’ve learned to cultivate self-care.
- When feeling overwhelmed, I assess the situation and ask myself questions.
You’ll know yourself better than anyone else. When do you feel overwhelmed? At times I get overwhelmed at the end of the day. “I overthink and assess whether I have done too much of the day’s work or should I do better?”, Richard Uzelac said .
- Creating a plan and then incorporating myself with some self-care habits.
For me, to avoid getting overloaded with unnecessary things, I make sure to make myself some notes on things that I’ve done, and then this is the time when I will incorporate time with some self-care habits.
- Knowing what’s most important in your day-to-day work tasks is a must so then you can prioritize which ones to finish first and avoid giving in to all of it, which could lead you to feel burned out.
- Including breaks in the middle of the day will help you relax. Anything that you feel is enjoyable and relaxing is “Self Care.” If this means eating, talking, meditating, sleeping or doing sit-ups, or playing ukulele or piano, then take time for it and do it.
Remember, though, everyone’s work-life balance will look a little different, so it’s important to find what works for you and your circumstances.
2. Once I have identified my needs and created a plan for self-care habits. I make sure that it is executable so I can be consistent. And one thing, though, is that using time wisely is a great skill for anyone who wants to develop a habit like a self-care habit. Remember, small is better, simple is better
Confucius once said, “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.”
I wrote an article on developing a successful habit by doing the Kaizen approach. Kaizen provides an excellent framework for developing good habits for both the body and mind and putting them into practice.
Take Away: We need to take care of ourselves before others because if we don’t, we may not have the energy, resources, or ability to take care of others effectively. When we neglect our own needs, we may become exhausted, stressed, and burned out, which can lead to physical and mental health problems. This, in turn, can make it difficult for us to provide the support and care that others need from us.
Although it is important to give equal importance to both our duties and self-care, it is a crucial part at most. But as a student of Stoicism, we do not allow it to define our identity or sense of self-worth. We should strive to do our best but not become overly attached to the outcome or become consumed by work to the point where it harms our well-being. Overall, Stoicism emphasizes the importance of finding a balance between our work and our personal well-being and recognizing that true happiness comes from within rather than from external achievements or circumstances. And as Epictetus said “No man is free who is not a master of himself.” Above all, take care of your health: Take care of your physical and mental health by eating healthy, getting enough sleep, and practicing a self-care habit.
Richard Uzelac.
Confucius once said, “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.”
I wrote an article on developing a successful habit by doing the Kaizen approach. Kaizen provides an excellent framework for developing good habits for both the body and mind and putting them into practice.
Take Away: We need to take care of ourselves before others because if we don’t, we may not have the energy, resources, or ability to take care of others effectively. When we neglect our own needs, we may become exhausted, stressed, and burned out, which can lead to physical and mental health problems. This, in turn, can make it difficult for us to provide the support and care that others need from us.
Although it is important to give equal importance to both our duties and self-care, it is a crucial part at most. But as a student of Stoicism, we do not allow it to define our identity or sense of self-worth. We should strive to do our best but not become overly attached to the outcome or become consumed by work to the point where it harms our well-being. Overall, Stoicism emphasizes the importance of finding a balance between our work and our personal well-being and recognizing that true happiness comes from within rather than from external achievements or circumstances. And as Epictetus said “No man is free who is not a master of himself.” Above all, take care of your health: Take care of your physical and mental health by eating healthy, getting enough sleep, and practicing a self-care habit.
Richard Uzelac.
