Self-Care For An Introverts' Mind, Body, & Soul
By: Melissa Howard
Therefore, if you’re an introvert who relishes time alone, it’s important to find the right self-care strategies that are effective for you.
Start and end your day in solitude
Start your day off right by taking time for solitude. You might have to get up earlier than everyone else in your household, but it's worth it. If you can begin your day in meditation, reading, in prayer, or just in quiet over a cup of tea, it will set the tone for your whole day. Even if the world is in chaos around you, a quiet start to your day can help you maintain an inner sense of calm and peace.
Try, if at all possible, to end your day in solitude as well. PsychCentral notes that spending the last 30 minutes of your day in complete silence before bedtime will allow you to quiet your mind, to fall asleep faster, and stay asleep longer. You'll likely find you wake up feeling more balanced and refreshed.
Skip the gym, but not fitness
The gym can be overwhelming with all its loud music, noisy conversation, and crowded classes – an introvert’s nightmare. But just because you ditch the gym doesn’t mean you should skip exercise altogether. Exercise is imperative for physical fitness and it’s also vital for reducing stress and boosting mental health as well.
It’s easy to exercise at home and maintain your fitness goals with the help of a streaming device. You can stream top fitness channels, check out new yoga and exercise videos, and listen to all your favorite heart-pumping music. All you need to get started is an easy-to-use streaming device, a TV with an HDMI port, and a reliable internet connection.
Take a media break
Sometimes it’s not just the in-person interaction that overwhelms introverts, but also the constant online activity – the comparisons on social media and sensationalism in the news. Give yourself a break from the news media as well as social media. The Guardian explains that in a study, people who took a one-week break from Facebook experienced greater life satisfaction and a significantly improved emotional life.
Maybe you need a week off, or perhaps the whole month. Whatever it takes, just do it. No damage is going to be done if you don’t keep up with your social groups on Facebook or you aren’t up to date with all the latest happenings for a while.
Say “NO” more often
As Sloww.co points out, the societal pressure to stay busy makes us all believe that we have to accept every invitation, join every cause, and attend every event that comes our way. But that’s truly not the case. Give yourself permission to say “No” more often – a lot more often.
Only take part in activities that you actually care about. If it’s something you love, that rejuvenates you, or makes you feel good, then do it. However, if you don’t have the time, money, and/or desire to do something, then don’t. It’s really that simple. You are not obligated to do everything all the time just because it seems like everyone else is or because you were invited to participate.
The world can get completely overwhelming sometimes – especially if you are an introvert. However, if you start concentrating on self-care and make yourself a priority, you can drown out some of the noise and chaos of life. Self-care – whether that means taking a nightly bubble bath, learning new yoga poses, or binge-watching your favorite TV shows – can help you to recharge your batteries, relieve your stress and anxiety, and feel better physically and mentally.
What self-care strategies do you practice to take care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally? Tell us in the comments below.
