Introduction to Self-Care & Coping

Hi everyone! My name is Caty and I’m passionate about self-care and how people cope with their mental health. 

If you’re unfamiliar with self-care, it is any activity that we do deliberately in order to take care of our mental, emotional and physical health. 

Mental self-care is relaxing, stimulating and developing your mind. Take time to rest and recharge your mind by meditating or listening to music. Exercise your mind by reading fiction books, listening to podcasts, and practicing an instrument. Allow your mind to grow by learning a new language, reading non-fiction books, and trying a new hobby. 

Emotional self-care focuses on taking care of your emotions. This might be creating boundaries and saying no, as well as allowing yourself to accept compliments. Eradicate negative emotions by practicing healthy coping mechanisms and writing affirmations for yourself. Distance yourself from draining and toxic people. Bring yourself peace and happiness by taking a nature walk and visiting someone you care about. 

Movement, nutrition and sleep are the three main components of physical self-care. Try to move your body for at least 30 minutes a day; go for a run, ride your bike, or plan an exercise routine with friends to hold each other accountable. Make sure you provide your body with nutritious food and regular meals. Check out our blog post about eating well and its benefits to your mental health! Lastly, try to stick to a consistent sleep schedule, even on the weekends. If you have trouble falling asleep at night, consider limiting your screen time at least 1 hour before bed, as the blue light from your phone disrupts your circadian rhythm. 

What I personally love about self-care is that nobody’s self-care routine looks alike. Every Sunday, over the next 3 months, I will be sharing with you how each of our youth board members practice self-care. I hope that it offers you ideas on how you can practice self-care, and most of all, remembering to make your physical, emotional, and mental health a priority in your life. 

Stay hopeful,

Caty 

Sam co-founded Z-Cares with her parents in honor of her brother Zachary. Currently, she plays lacrosse with Whittier College and is studying psychology. Sam adds, “Something that has helped me so much is talking to others, I used to never talk about how I feel and I would keep things so bottled up. Once I started talking to people more and being more open I felt so much better, it’s almost like a weight is lifting off my shoulders.” 

I couldn’t agree more with reaching out to your friends, family or a therapist to talk about how you’re feeling. Sharing your anxiety and stress with a professional is a great way to learn about how you can cope. If you can’t afford a therapist, or you’re not in a position to seek professional help, Z-Cares has a list of resources in this blog post. 

Remember it’s okay to feel anxious, overwhelmed, and depressed. You are not alone in your journey.

Stay hopeful,

Caty 

Patrick is currently at the University of San Diego studying Business and Psychology. Along with biking as a physical activity, Patrick enjoys yoga. “A resource that has helped me enlighten myself with mental health and cope has been yoga. I started practicing yoga in February. I recommend Yoga with Adrienne on YouTube.” 

Yoga increases body awareness, relieves stress, sharpens attention and concentration, and calms and centers the nervous system (American Psychological Association). It’s no wonder yoga is so popular with individuals with anxiety and depression— it’s beneficial to both the mind and body. 

If you’re stuck in a rut, try yoga for a change of pace. 

Stay hopeful, 

Caty  

Hello everyone, happy Sunday! Today we’re taking a look at our statistics expert @allisonnemo’s self-care! Allison provided a ton of ways she practices self-care from music, books, movies and tv shows. I hope this gives you some ideas for your own self- care 💚💙 

Stay hopeful

Caty