By Jason Giang, CVC intern 2019-2020

During these trying times of shelter-in-place orders and social distancing, practicing self-care is more important than ever.  Now, if you’re wondering what the heck self-care is, I’m happy to tell you.  Www.Psychcentral.com defines self-care as any activity that we do deliberately to take care of our mental, emotional, and physical health.  What self-care isn’t is something that we force ourselves to do.  Self-care is something that we enjoy doing that meets our needs.  Now, what can you do confined in your own home?  This is a perfect time to try new self-care techniques.

Here are three golden rules for practicing self-care.

• Stick to the basics.
• Self-care requires that you actively plan something.
• Keep a conscious mind that your self-care actively is improving your life.

Opening a book can be quite relaxing; simple meditation or mindful breathing can be life-changing.  Doing exercises in one’s home can also be a form of self-care.

Basic things like promoting a healthy diet and getting a full 7-8 hours of sleep each night are great forms of self-care.  One excellent resource is the gardens around the community.  This is a perfect opportunity to explore these gardens and enjoy the scenery.  Instead of isolating, reach out to friends and family over the phone, and remember to laugh!  Just take care of yourself.