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There are seven pillars of self-care, all of which affect each other and connect to create a balanced sense of personal wellness, these pillars consist of physical, social, mental, spiritual, emotional, recreational, and environmental.
Maintaining wellness in these categories comes from conscious acts that relieve stress, and when consistently practiced, become effortless and beneficial to our lives. Over the course of the next few weeks, we will be exploring the Pillars of Self Care and Wellness, its importance in our lives, and how we can involve Self Care in our individual lives. This week, we will be covering the Second Pillar of Self Care: Social Health.
Our social health is a dynamic concept. Prosperity in this section of our lives is not only affected by our relationships with others but also by the relationship we have with ourselves. It’s important to balance both of these things, as well as maintaining an open mind for new experiences and people. New experiences can lead to new bonds and knowledge about yourself and the world around you. It can be difficult to focus on the relationships in your life if they do not benefit you, being observant of the effect that some connections can have on your personal health is important, as well as discontinuing connections that negatively impact you.
Maintaining healthy relationships starts with a foundation of boundaries. A great first step is asserting to the people you surround yourself with, what you are, and are not okay with, as well as understanding that it is okay to say no. Communication is the biggest factor in any relationship and can be the line between healthy and unhealthy connections. Sometimes, communication can be difficult, so it is important to speak your truth, both with how you feel and how you interpret experiences. When people do not respect boundaries, it can be hard to identify issues, as well as make the choices that benefit your social health. One of the most critical times for communication is during turmoil. The best way to communicate negative energy can start with the words you use. Using ‘I’ statements during conversations focuses on your perspective and experience, as well as avoiding aggression and blame. A rule of thumb I have learned is when you are communicating negative emotions it is important to hit the three bases, How you feel, what made you feel that way, and what can be done to improve the situation. This method lays down all of the tools necessary to communicate effectively.
While humans are social creatures, in need of new experiences and communication, we also must give ourselves care, and participate in activities that we enjoy, alone. Listen to your body, and give yourself time in the areas you need, so that you can thrive in all areas.
Thank you for tuning in, in our next article, we will be exploring the second column of self-care, Social Health. Be sure to check back with Blossomed Ataraxis in two weeks for our next installment of Pillars of Self-Care and Wellness.
Nina Crawford is a senior at Poudre High School and in her first year at the Poudre Press. Be sure to tune in every other week for Pillars of Self-Care & Wellness and check out Blossomed Ataraxis here!
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