How often do we hear that self care matters, but not really take in its true significance? If asked to name your top three things you do for self care, could you name them? And how often do you actually do them?

Many people I talk to for counseling tell me its the difference between a good day and a bad day. Given that, this is a very important skill to have. It’s also one that many do not think of when they think of what they want to get out of therapy, but it is very important as when we get sad or anxious one of the first things we start forgetting to do is take good care of ourselves.

But why does self care make such a difference? How could doing this one thing help so much?

It relates to self care or self soothing as many like to call it, helping us to feel cared for, nurtured, appreciated, and like our needs matter and are being met. It can also help us feel more in control and less like our emotions are running our lives.

It’s also important to have a self care plan, not just occasionally do things for yourself.

So how do you create a self care plan?

The best and easiest way is to do it based on what soothes each of your 5 senses. I usually list each of the five senses and add five things under each one as this gives you a menu of 25 things you can do to feel more relaxed, calm, nurtured, and cared for. Practicing self care daily can be very helpful as well. This helps us to have a calmer, more peaceful baseline. For example imagine the difference between having a baseline of an “8” versus a “2” on a 0- 10 scale and how this would effect how quickly we get to a “10.” If your baseline is a “2,” you have more room to get upset without reaching the point where you are losing your cool.

Below you will find an example of a partial self care plan to get you started thinking about this. The key is to find the things that soothe you the most, which is different for each person.

Self Care Plan

Sense of Sight

Pictures of fun times with friends or family.

Pictures of the ocean or a sunset.

Doing art or coloring.

Going for a hike and seeing nature.

Looking at funny videos online.

I hope this helps you prioritize the importance of self care and recognize how finding the right therapist for you either through in person or online counseling can help you learn to take better care of yourself. If you have questions around how to find or look for a therapist that is the best fit for you, check out my blogs on How Do I Find A Good Therapist or FAQs About Online Or In Person Counseling. If you are still feeling stuck feel free to call me at (707) 954- 7060 for a free 15 minute consultation. I’d be happy to hear about what is happening and help direct you to the right person. If you are looking for help with anxiety counseling, depression counseling, or trauma or PTSD counseling, you can read more about how I can help here.