Alsager person-centred counsellor, Hannah Bolton, offers her professional insight into self-care.

What do you think when you hear the words self-care she asks?

"For me personally I tend to think of trying to have time for myself without my two kids running around my feet (as much as I love them)," says Hannah.

"Self-care comes in many forms, it's about doing things to look after our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

"They all interlink and have a positive impact on each other. Self-Care physically can include things like healthy eating, exercising, getting enough sleep, and having time on your own with nature.

"Physical well-being also includes time on your own with no technology allowing an opportunity for self-reflection."

Hannah says this interlinks with emotional and spiritual well-being of self-reflection to help grow an understanding and acceptance of self - and this will increase your confidence and self-love.

So, what does self-care look like?

It's about balancing your work and personal life that suits you.

"This can be for example putting healthy boundaries in place and saying 'no'. It can be about recognising when you are over worked and prioritising tasks in a realistic time frame. At work, it's also ensuring you take your lunch break and having regular supervision.

"In your personal life self-care can be about figuring out what you want from life, making short- and long-term goals and having contact with people who are special to you. It may be about taking up hobbies or trying things you have never done before.

"Whatever your self-care looks like it's ok to prioritise yourself rather than trying to please others. We can get so overwhelmed with thinking about other's needs that we forget about our own.

"It's not 'selfish' to think about yourself and ask, 'what do I want?' Planning self-care into your day is important. By telling someone what your plan is can help you to complete self-care as they can encourage you to do it.

"Self-care doesn't have to be for hours on end just a small amount of time in your day to show self-love and build confidence for yourself. As the saying 'goes, 'you can't pour from an empty glass,' so looking after yourself is the priority."

If you or anyone you know is struggling with self-care or needs help to set healthy boundaries and change your lifestyle, please feel free to contact me.

You can contact Hannah by visiting her website, calling her on: 07768198184, or emailing: [email protected]. 

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