# data[].attributes.body
Do You Put the "Self" in Self-Care?

Self-care is more than just a trend

Real self-care may not look anything at all like what's shown on social media.

Taking care of yourself doesn't have to have an aesthetic dimension.

Genuine self-care hinges on knowing what activities and routines give you inner peace.

Taking care of yourself doesn’t have to fit into a certain aesthetic, and it doesn’t need to involve using multicoloured bath bombs or a flawlessly decorated bullet journal to be considered self-care. Knowing what gives you the most inner peace is far more enriching than being too out of touch with yourself to know what TLC you need.
Physical Self-Care Examples:

Eat a healthy meal

Engage in exercise

Go for a walk

Drink water

Practice good sleep hygiene

Have a cup of tea

Sit in the sunlight

Take a shower or bath

Mental Self-Care Examples:

Practice mindfulness

Take a break

Play video games

Listen to music

Read a book

Listen to a podcast

Reflect on things you are grateful for

Spiritual/Social Self-Care Examples:

Pray

Call/text a friend

Connect with nature

Meditate

Engage in self-reflection

🔗https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/school-thought/202103/do-you-put-the-self-in-self-care
🔗https://www.utoledo.edu/studentaffairs/counseling/selfhelp/copingskills/selfcare.html

# data[].attributes.body
What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.

While mindfulness is something we all naturally possess, it’s more readily available to us when we practice on a daily basis.

The goal of mindfulness is to wake up to the inner workings of our mental, emotional, and physical processes.

The Basics of Mindfulness Practice

1. Set aside some time. You don’t need a meditation cushion or bench, or any sort of special equipment to access your mindfulness skills—but you do need to set aside some time and space.

2. Observe the present moment as it is. The aim of mindfulness is not quieting the mind or attempting to achieve a state of eternal calm. The goal is simple: we’re aiming to pay attention to the present moment, without judgment. Easier said than done, we know.

3. Let your judgments roll by. When we notice judgments arise during our practise, we can make a mental note of them, and let them pass.

4. Return to observing the present moment as it is. Our minds often get carried away in thought. That’s why mindfulness is the practice of returning, again and again, to the present moment.

5. Be kind to your wandering mind. Don’t judge yourself for whatever thoughts crop up, just practise recognizing when your mind has wandered off, and gently bring it back.

That’s the practice. It’s often been said that it’s very simple, but it’s not necessarily easy. The work is to just keep doing it. Results will accrue.
🔗https://www.mindful.org/meditation/mindfulness-getting-started/
🔗https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/publications/hopkins_medicine_magazine/features/fall-2019/making-space-for-mindfulness

# data[].attributes.body
How to help?
👂 Listen
It is important that you let your child acknowledge their emotions and give them uninterrupted time to vent out their worries, as well as frustrations. Then, you can brainstorm together to come up with a suitable solution.
Let them acknowledge the feeling
👄 Talk
Avoid asking leading questions, instead, simply inquire about their feelings that day or at that particular moment. Encourage your child to talk openly about his/her feelings. You can let them list out their emotions just like how you would do with a shopping list. This will help them clarify what is going on around them and alleviate the pressure they may be having.

⏸️ Practice the PNB (Pause, Notice, Breathe)
This little exercise is simple: pause, notice the things around you or notice the feeling that may arise, and gently breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth. Through this exercise, you can help your child manage their anxiety as this slows everything down.

🧶Create a coping kit

Stress balls

Deep breathing

Journaling or just writing down your worries

Progressive muscle relaxation

Seek assistance from an adult

Try these simple strategies and figure out what works best.

Are you interested in these topics?  We recommend you to visit these pages 😊
ℹ️ https://imaginenationcenter.com/coping-strategies-for-kids/
ℹ️ https://www.psycom.net/help-kids-with-anxiety

# data[].attributes.body
What Is Assertive Communication?
Assertive communication is defined as “the ability to speak and interact in a manner that considers and respects the rights and opinions of others while also standing up for your rights, needs, and personal boundaries” (Pipas & Jaradat, 2010, p. 649).

9 Characteristics of an Assertive Communication Style

Assertive communication involves various verbal and nonverbal qualities. Here are nine examples from Pipas and Jaradat (2010) and Bishop (2013):

1. Direct eye contact shows that the speaker is strong and not intimidated.

2. An assertive stance or posture with the right balance of strength and casualness. For example, standing rigid may come across as aggressive; whereas, slouching may be perceived as weak.

3. The tone of voice. A strong voice conveys assertiveness, but raising one’s voice shows aggression and is likely to be met with anger.

4. Facial expression. Expressions that are neither angry nor anxious are essential for sending the right message.

5. Timing. Assertive communication must be executed at the right time (e.g., making requests from one’s spouse in the middle of a dinner party is not likely to be well received).

6. Nonthreatening, non-blaming language. For example, language such as “If you continue to do that, you will be sorry!” is threatening rather than assertive.

7. Clarity. For example, “Can you please not be that way?” is vague, while “Can you please not walk away when we’re talking?” more clearly conveys the speaker’s needs.

8. Positive language. For example, making a negative request (“Will you stop leaving your papers all over the house?”) is less effective than a positive request (“Here is a divider I’ve set up. Will you please place your papers here?”).

9. Language without criticism of one’s self or others. For example, phrases such as “I know I’m overly sensitive, but could you please not use that word?” and “Didn’t anyone ever teach you any manners?” are critical rather than assertive.

10 Real-Life ExamplesIt is easy to come up with many everyday examples where assertiveness is needed, such as:

Inconsiderate drivers

Pushy shoppers

Phone solicitors

Disrespectful children

Unwanted requests from family

Occurrences of social injustice

People who refuse to practice social distancing during a pandemic

Delving a bit more into real-life examples, here are three situations that often require assertive communication.

🔗https://positivepsychology.com/assertive-communication/

🔗https://biglifejournal.com/blogs/blog/how-to-raise-assertive-child

# data[].attributes.body
In general :
Anxiety can be defined as "a state consisting of psychological and physical symptoms brought about by a sense of apprehension at a perceived threat".

Fear is similar to anxiety except that with fear the threat is or is perceived to be, more concrete, present, or imminent.

The psychological and physical symptoms of anxiety vary according to the nature and magnitude of the perceived threat, and from one person to another.

Symptoms:
Psychological symptoms may include feelings of fear and dread, an exaggerated startle reflex, poor concentration, irritability, and insomnia.

In mild to moderate anxiety, physical symptoms such as tremors, sweating, muscle tension, a faster heart rate, and faster and deeper breathing arise from the body’s so-called fight-or-flight response, a state of high arousal fuelled by a surge in adrenaline.

In severe anxiety, over-breathing (hyperventilation) can lead to a fall in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the blood. This gives rise to an additional set of physical symptoms, among which are chest discomfort, numbness or tingling in the hands and feet, dizziness, and faintness.

Techniques
Relaxation techniques

If a particular task or situation is very anxiety-provoking, use deep breathing to manage your anxiety.

Breathe in through your nose and hold the air in for several seconds.

Purse your lips and gradually let the air out. Let out as much air as you can.

Carry on until you feel much less anxious.

Deep breathing can also be used for generalized anxiety, that is, free-floating anxiety that is not tied to any particular object or situation.

A second strategy that is often used together with deep breathing involves relaxation exercises:

lying on your back, tighten the muscles in your toes for 10 seconds and then relax them completely.

Do the same for your feet, ankles, and calves, gradually working your way up your body until you reach your head and neck.

Other general strategies

Other general strategies that you can use for relaxing include listening to music, particularly classical music like Bach or Chopin, having a hot bath (add in a few drops of lavender essential oil), reading a book, calling or meeting with a friend, exercising, practising yoga or meditation, and giving and receiving massage.

Lifestyle changes

Simple lifestyle changes can also help to reduce anxiety. These might include:

Simplifying your life, even if this means doing less or doing only one thing at a time.

Getting enough sleep.

Going for a daily walk, or some other form of exercise.

Eating food that is tasty, nutritious, and varied.

Restricting your intake of coffee and alcohol, e.g. limiting alcohol to just wine with dinner.

Taking the time to do the things you enjoy.

Connecting with others by sharing thoughts and feelings.

These lifestyle changes are useful not only for reducing anxiety but also for improving your overall health and quality of life.

Though individually small and simple, their cumulative effect can be absolutely transformative.

Seeking help

If you continue to suffer from severe anxiety despite implementing some of these measures, you can get in touch with one of several voluntary outfits that organise self-help groups and operate telephone help lines, among others.

🌍 https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/hide-and-seek/201210/coping-anxiety

# data[].attributes.body
The dimensions of burnout
●Burnout is a progressive process, the stages of which can be described in three keywords;

●emotional exhaustion (EE)-fatigue, lack of motivation,feeling of helplessness

●depersonalization (DP)-lack of empathy, objectification of the people and their needs, rejection

●personal accomplishment (PA)-decline in performance, negative self-esteem
How to fight?
Individual-level

●self -check

●balanced diet

●routine

●regular physical activity

●spending quality time with friends and family

●introduction of me-time

●trying new coping techniques

●asking for professional help

Institutional level

●organising mentor programs

●providing better work conditions

●educational days of mental health

●providing time and financial help for prevention and intervention

●acknowledging hard work

●reducing heavy workload

●respecting work-life balance

●financial support

Take -🏠message
●prevention is always better than cure

●organise your days

●focus on your health

●stop glorifying overwork

●balance between saying Yes and No

🔗https://www.educationcorner.com/teacher-burnout.html
🔗https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/burnout/art-20046642
🔗https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/burnout