Tips for Self Love ft. The Cupcake Girls!

*Guest post written by Meagan Roland, the Direct Care Manager with The Cupcake Girls*

Hello CAM4 readers! My name is Meagan Roland MPC, and I’m the Direct Care Manager with The Cupcake Girls. As you may already know, May is Mental Health Month. With the recent deaths associated with suicide in the industry, caring for your own mental health is more important than ever. We at The Cupcake Girls know that your work can be taxing in more ways than one, and we want to provide you with some tools to help you take care of you. No one else is going to do it for you!

One of our 6 core values at The Cupcake Girls is to “pursue holistic balance.” We believe that self-care exists in 5 domains: physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual. If we neglect all of these areas, we feel may not feel like ourselves anymore, and/or we may become depressed or anxious.

Let’s dive into each of these areas, and take a look at some tools/suggestions on how you can take care of yourself in each of these ways:

Physical

Physical self-care includes any aspect of health related to your physical body, such as a healthy diet, regular exercise, and addressing illness or other medical needs. If your physical self-care is off, you may want to ask yourself, “Which of these areas of physical self-care resonated with me the most?” and, “What is one thing I can do this week to improve my physical self-care?” Don’t worry about tackling everything all at once. Just choose one thing you can do to improve your physical self this week!

Mental

Mental self-care includes all aspects of the way you think about your situation and life. We can so easily slip into negative thinking patterns that damage our view of ourselves or others. I recommend evaluating your thoughts by asking yourself, “Is this true?” and, “Is this helpful?” If it’s not true, it is not worth your time and mental space. Choose something positive to think about instead. I also recommend meditation, talking to a trusted friend (or The Cupcake Girls!), and exercise to clear your mind. A 30-minute walk outside or a yoga class could help clear your mind andcheck off your exercise box for today!

Emotional

Emotional health means that you: 1. Understand your feelings, 2. Can verbalize them to a trusted companion, and 3. Have a safe space to share your feelings in order to process through them. Emotional instability can be a result of a past trauma, a lack of a safe space to share/process through your feelings, or a lack of self-care in one or many of the other areas of self-care.

If your emotional self feels unstable, I encourage you to use your 5 senses: turn on some good music (hearing), go outside and look at your favorite flowers/trees (sight), use essential oils or light a candle (smell), pour your favorite cup of coffee or tea (taste), take a bath (touch). I also strongly encourage you to find someone you trust and talk about it. If you are having trouble finding someone you trust that is available, visit www.thecupcakegirls.org/gethelpand fill out a support request form!

Social

We are all social beings, whether you have a million friends on twitter, or you prefer to stay home with a good book. But if you are wondering whether your social self-care is on-par, ask yourself these questions, “When was the last time I went out with my friends?” and, “When was the last time I had fun?” If your social game is off, try reaching out to a friend or a new acquaintance. I bet she wants to hang out with you too!

Spiritual

Whether you have a belief in a higher power or follow a religious doctrine, we are allspiritual people. When we fail to nurture our spiritual self, we neglect a part of ourselves. Some ways to care for yourself spiritually include: meditation, yoga, attending a church or other religious service, finding a spiritual mentor to discuss value, purpose, etc., or read a book or a daily devotional pertaining to your higher power.

So, there you have it! I have given concrete ways to care for yourself this month physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, and spiritually.If you find yourself struggling in any of these areas, please visit www.thecupcakegirls.org/gethelp and fill out the confidential support request form. We look forward to working with you!

Peace, love, & cupcakes :)

Meagan Roland, MPC

Wanna know more about The Cupcake Girls? Check out their interview with CAM4 HERE!

https://thecupcakegirls.org

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