International Self Care Day

If the idea of taking care of oneself seems like a far-fetched dream, then this day is just what is needed. Show some love and appreciation through healthy habits and practices geared toward taking care of yourself – because it’s time for International Self Care Day!

History of International Self Care Day

The idea of self care began to pop up in the 1950s, following World War II. From the civil rights movement to mental health strides in the medical community and on to the end of the Cold War, the idea of self care has continued to grow in popularity and scope.

International Self Care Day was first celebrated in 2011 when it was established by the UK based organization, International Self-Care Foundation (ISF). With the important theme of encouraging everyone to be attentive to taking care of themselves, the day has been observed each year since its foundation more than a decade ago.

How to Celebrate International Self Care Day

Those who are considering ways to celebrate International Self Care Day may be interested in coming up with their own creative ideas, or engaging in some of these:

Practice Self Care

Of course, the first thing to do on International Self Care Day is to engage in taking care of oneself! The way this looks can change based on the individual, but it can include beginning practices and habits such as good sleep hygiene, eating a healthy diet, adding movement into each day, setting boundaries and more. Self-care does not have to be financially costly or even require a great deal of time. It just means making plans to prioritize health and well-being whether physically, emotionally, mentally or spiritually.

Remember and Share Some Benefits of Self Care

One of the ways that it can be useful to celebrate International Self Care Day might be to read and share some reminders about why it is important to take care of oneself. Check out some of these benefits of self care for overall health:

• Self care can improve physical health
• Self care may reduce stress & anxiety and protect mental health
• Self care can promote better relationships with family, friends, coworkers and more
• Self care may increase confidence, productivity and happiness

Those who have friends, family members or coworkers who seem like they have unhealthy habits or are on the edge of burnout may want to take some time on this day to encourage them to consider ways that they can take care of themselves too.

Read Some Books About Self Care

International Self Care Day can be used as a springboard for launching a number of healthy self care practices that can bring more balance, calm and peace to life. Those who are interested in reading up on the topic of self care can certainly find many different books to choose from. Head over to the library or support a local bookstore and take home one of these titles:

• Self Care for the Real World by Nadia Narain and Katia Narain Phillips (2017)
• The Self Care Handbook by Gill Hasson (2019)
• Self Care: How to Live Mindfully and and Look After Yourself by Claire Chamberlain (2019)
• The Mountain Is You: Transforming Self-Sabotage into Self-Mastery by Brianna West (2020)