by Emma Carville 

Self-care is regarded as the practice of taking action to preserve or improve one’s own health. After the indulgence of Christmas many of us choose to join a gym, start a diet or kick a bad habit – all very positive ways to start a new year.  The motivations for our resolutions undoubtedly dwindle as the months go by but we must always take the initiative to constantly improve our mental, physical and emotional well-being. 

Often people may get overwhelmed by adding another thing on to their to-do-list, but self-care can be easily incorporated into your everyday life when it’s given a delegated spot. Despite its given name, we don’t have to be alone in it; we can easily include and get inspired by others around us in our self-care regime.

Reach out to friends and family

“Sometimes, reaching out and taking someone’s hand is the beginning of a journey.
At other times, it is allowing another to take yours.”
― Vera Nazarian,  

Instead of scrolling through your phone, text a friend to catch up or better yet, to organise a date you can both look forward to. The world is a smaller place with FaceTime and Instagram but nothing beats getting to see your loved ones in real life. Go make plans and memories! 

As we get older and life gets busier it can be difficult to pin our friends down, so why not make some new ones? With apps such as Meet Up you have the opportunity to explore your tailored tastes and interests and meet like-minded people. From book clubs and hiking friends to groups for chocolate lovers and wine enthusiasts – there’s something on there for everyone, so why not join in? 

Find out more here.

Exercising with others

Everyone is aware of the health benefits of exercise but for the ultimate endorphin rush, why not have a communal workout? 

Sweat it out with fellow gym goers in an exercise class! As Richelle E. Goodrich said “there is strength in numbers” and many people find classes to be extremely motivating. Often you partner up and half way through you’ll look exasperatedly at one another as you reach another station or complete a final rep with gritted teeth.  There’s a bond to be made amongst all those beads of sweat! 

If you prefer the great outdoors, it’s worth looking at the park runs that are hosted in your area. Go alone or bring a friend and get swept up in the fun. Eventbrite posts details of free and fun exercise classes that are usually pretty popular during summer. Zumba in the sun, anyone?

Search events in your city here.

Healthy actions tend to rub off on those closest to you, so persuade a colleague or housemate to go for a walk, a cycle or join a class and if you both enjoy it then it may even become a weekly activity for you both to pencil in the diary. On your marks, get set….GO!

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Enrol in a course

Henry Ford once said that “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty.” If you’re feeling a little lackluster in life then education is a great way to get better connected to yourself and others around you. Perhaps it’s a hobby you want to learn more about, a craft to perfect, or a programme that might compliment your job – there is an abundance of courses available no matter what your level of skill may be. Gaining a qualification, friends and new experiences sounds like some excellent self-care to exercise. 

Take up a volunteering position

If you have time on your hands and are passionate about a cause then think about giving a helping hand to a worthy charity. Research shows that volunteering helps to alleviate loneliness and enhance our overall awareness. The altruistic act is rewarding for you and the others involved and you could inspire others to get on board too. Self-care is a win win! 

If you’re interested then click on the image below.

If you can’t find the time to volunteer then make a little donation. Not necessarily monetary! It could be those jeans you no longer wear, or the impulse shirt you bought in the sale that still has the tags on; bring them to your local charity shop or clothing bank. Your old threads will make someone else extremely happy and it also means there’s space in your wardrobe for a retail therapy day. 

Self-care = more aware.

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Come along to Conversations Salons 

‘Electric communication will never be a substitute for the face of someone who with their soul encourages another person to be brave and true.’ – Charles Dickens

Our ethos at Conversation Salons is to reclaim face-to-face conversation in the digital age and address the problem of human disconnection. Conversation is the most valuable universal currency we use as human beings and with this, what we need to do is exchange our text abbreviations for words; we must spend our currency in real life with real people and have a real conversation!

We provide you with a menu of questions of various topics and you have the evening to chat to people from all walks of life and share your ideas – we’re not the type to do small talk. Conversation Salons is an ideal form of self-care as you get to share and listen to fascinating thoughts, stories and philosophies. Hosted in cafes around Dublin, you’re guaranteed to have a warm glow by the time you leave us; if not from the comfort of a good chat then because of the multiple cups of tea!

You can check out our upcoming salons here.

There are so many ways to care for yourself, these are just a few ideas! Whether it’s a bubble bath and your favourite book or a night on the tiles with your closest friends, do what makes you feel good and make it a priority. 

Ask yourself, are you making enough time for self-care in your busy schedule?