You’ve probably heard the term “self-care” used a lot lately. It’s become a popular buzzword in the media and in personal development circles. However, you still may be unclear on what it means. While the concept does involve taking care of yourself, it actually goes much deeper. Read on to learn what self-care is, why it matters and how to get started doing it.

About Self-Care

Self-care covers a lot of areas with regard to caring for yourself. It involves nurturing your body, mind and spirit. It focuses on building yourself up so that your internal resources don’t become depleted. Essentially, self-care is being as good to yourself as you would be to someone you care about. It requires you to show yourself some compassion and encourages you to be vulnerable with others, asking for help you when you need it. What doesn’t fall under the umbrella of self-care are self-destructive coping mechanisms such as using drugs, drinking, gambling or retail therapy. These things only make you feel good in the short-term.

The Benefits of Self-Care

There are lots of benefits to practicing self-care. Embracing this concept can be difficult for those who’ve always placed emphasis on the welfare of others. However, giving all your energy to those around you without filling your own back up leaves you depleted and empty. That’s no way to live. Instead, spending time and effort on yourself rejuvenates and energizes you. Taking time to indulge in your own interests demonstrates your worth, leading to improved self-esteem and a more positive outlook on the world. It teaches you a lot about yourself and provides you with insight into what you need to be the best version of yourself. Self-care helps you better cope with stress and to prioritize what’s important to you. You’ll be better able to take care of others when you also take time to meet your own needs.

Examples of Self-Care

There are countless ways to add self-care into your routine. The key is to choose activities that are most enjoyable to you and provide you with the most benefits. Going for a walk in nature is great for those who enjoy the outdoors. Other forms of exercise like yoga, running or going to the gym work well, too. Spending time with friends can be rejuvenating, but so can saying no. Allowing yourself to decline invitations or favors when you’re feeling run-down is a big part of caring for yourself. Treating yourself to a favorite, affordable indulgence like a movie, manicure or ice cream cone are all good examples. As is taking a bath or meditating. These are just a few of the ways you can easily incorporate self-care into your life.

Now you know what self-care is and what it’s important. You’ve also got some ideas of how to get started, so you’re well on your way to adding this useful practice to your life

Living your best life is a wonderful goal to shoot for, but many of us confuse that with living the perfect life. We get hung up on all the details, trying to make sure everything is just right. We tell ourselves it has to be the right time or the best circumstances before we’re ready to try something new or make a change. We let perfectionism hold us back. If you feel you fall into this trap, keep reading and learn how you can live your best life without waiting for it to be perfect.

Consider What’s at Stake

First, when you get caught up in feeling like things have to be just right, take a minute to consider the stakes. What will you miss out on if you wait until things are perfect? What opportunity are you giving up? Often, this simple reflection will be enough to push you toward going after your goal, rather than waiting for a better time.

Know It’s Not All or Nothing

The all or nothing trap is one that is common. This is the belief that you have to have all the resources in place or know everything there is to know before taking on a task. This line of thinking is false. It’s simply a way of getting caught up in the cycle of perfectionism and remaining in place. Take baby steps and give it a try even if you don’t have everything in place. Sometimes things come together on their own.

Change Your Self-Talk

If perfectionism is holding you back from living your best life, chances are good that you’re probably sending yourself some negative messages. Listen to what your inner critic is saying to you the next time you decide that you shouldn’t do something and then see if you can’t turn that message around. If you hear yourself saying that you’ll never get the job promotion because you’re not qualified, try giving yourself some realistic reasons why you might just have what it takes and what you have to offer. Refuting negative self-talk can go a long way to stopping perfectionism in its tracks.

Learn to Accept Good Enough

Finally, try just accepting good enough and see what happens. The next time you want to do something different or step out of your comfort zone, but you don’t think you’re ready, just go for it. Pay attention to how you feel and what it’s like to push past those feelings. Note the end result. Maybe things won’t turn out perfectly, but you may discover they end up being worthwhile anyway.

Keep these steps in mind the next time your inner perfectionist tries to sabotage you and keep you from living your best life. You may be surprised at the results.

Do you ever just feel like you’re putting your life on hold? Maybe you’re waiting for the perfect time to do what it is you’ve always wanted to do. You might think you need to get yourself to a better career position before you can have fun. Perhaps you don’t think you deserve to take time for yourself when there are so many things that your family needs. Regardless of your reasons, putting your life on hold and waiting for someday to do the things you aspire to is rarely a good idea.

The fact is, we’re never guaranteed a tomorrow. Holding out for the “right time” usually just ends up costing happiness and fulfillment. Instead, decide what it is you want out of your life and take action steps to get it right now. Not tomorrow. Not someday. Take a look at the following suggestions to get started living your best life now:

Take Time to Dream

Many of us say we’ll wait until a better time to go after what we want, but we may not even know what it is that we’d like to see in our lives. Therefore, your first step is to take some time to dream. Think about the things you desire. Make lists. Let yourself dream big. Jot down short-term and long-term goals.

Clarify Your Vision

Once you have some ideas, start to narrow things down. Clarify the goals you most want to meet and that seem within reach to at least begin working on now. Write them down and commit to working toward them.

Create a Timeline

Now you’re ready to create a framework or draw a map for how you’ll reach your destination. Decide how you’re going to obtain the things you want. Write down the steps you plan to take. Try to come up with a reasonable timeframe in which to arrive at each step. Decide on milestones to mark your progress. Doing so will help keep you on track.

Take Action

It’s time to start bringing your plan to life. Decide on which actions you need to take right now to begin making progress toward the goals you’ve set. Grab your calendar and write down guideposts for these steps so that you know what you should be working on at each stage of the journey.

Have Fun

Finally, be sure you’re striving to enjoy these steps along the way. This isn’t another to-do list that has to be a chore. This is your life plan, and it’s meant to be a joy. Doublecheck your action plan to make sure there are fun activities included, and always take time to celebrate those milestones.

Keeping these steps in mind as a model for moving forward will help to ensure you’re no longer putting your life on hold. You now have a plan. As you start to work it, you’ll notice your outlook improving and your satisfaction levels rising.