Food for Thought: The Layers of Self Care

By Stephanie Parker, CPA, MSFP, and Michael LoColle

Self-Care is a crucial part of our journey in life, it is easy to ignore it and not think about it or act upon what sets the soul on fire and makes us truly happy. Happiness has been studied and it is striving to meet your potential and sharing it with others, but many don’t spend time thinking about their potential physically and mentally and distract themselves with filling the cups of others before filling their own.

It is not selfish to spend time on yourself, recharge your batteries and spend time on your passions in life and your overall physical and mental wellbeing. In fact, it is a necessary part of being the best version of ourselves so that we can be aware and present for loved ones and those who rely upon us daily.

There are many layers to self-care as illustrated below. The Practical and Social are usually first and foremost which includes the to do list and gathering with friends and family which are both important but only account for two out of six types.

The Self Care categories in which we may be unaware of or will get forgotten during daily life are Emotional, Physical, Mental and Spiritual.

Examples:

Emotional Self-Care

Activities that help you connect, process and reflect on a full range of emotions.

Examples: Seeing a therapist or counselor, talking to a friend, writing in a journal, creating art, playing music, etc.

Physical Self-Care

Activities you do that improve the well-being of your physical health.

Examples: Eating wholesome nutritious foods daily, taking a walk during lunch at least 2-3x/week, attending an exercise class 1-2x/week, sleeping eight hours a day, staying hydrated, etc.

Mental Self-Care

Activities the stimulates your mind or your intellect.

Examples: Reading a book, solving a puzzle, playing chess, going to a museum, entering a competition, etc.

Spiritual Self Care

Activities that nurture your spirit and allow you to look beyond yourself and explore the universe. Spiritual self- care can be religious for some and for others looking beyond what they can see and touch.

Examples: Meditation, yoga, worship, being outside in nature, dedication to time for self-reflection, taking a shamanic journey, attending wellness retreats, etc.

Now is the time to take care of yourself. You will thank yourself and those around you, will thank you. You will be the best version of yourself if you become more mindful of the Six Types of Self Care.

Physical Self Care TIPs for CPA’s

How do you incorporate fitness and nutrition into your busy lifestyle during the busiest time of year?

1. Stop saying “I don’t have the time to focus on it during busy season.” Sorry but this is an excuse and bad habit. If you can’t get to the grocery store, order from an online service. Have fruits and veggies delivered to the office every few days and make sure you are eating enough protein. Keep drinking at least 60 oz of water each day to stay hydrated.
    
2. Asking for help with your fitness and nutrition routines is the best course of action. It is unrealistic to say you are going to do it all on your own. It never happens with all the deadlines and stresses put upon the CPA profession, seek help from professionals in the fitness, nutrition and wellness industry.
    
3. Start a weight loss program paired with a proper exercises program for your age, abilities and lifestyle. This is crucial to success. Many believe that if they start running on a treadmill 3-4x/week they will lose weight and although your cardio will increase and you will burn calories, you may not be eating enough protein, carbs or fats so you will lose muscle mass rather than excess unnecessary body fat. You won’t feel better but feel less energetic. When this happens, you jump off the diet and stop exercising and put it off to another day and time, never to happen again.
    
4. Set up weekly appointments for YOU and your self care routine. Stick to the appointments and don’t let others stray you away from them. Sign up for a virtual class that takes 45-60 minutes such as yoga, pilates, strength training and meditation. Gather a few coworkers and start a trend in your conference room during lunch time or in the evenings.
    
5. Remember one thing, it is never too late to start eating nutrient dense foods and exercising regularly. The body changes daily because of biology and all your cells today are new cells a few months later therefore, you are what you eat and do! The body heals and rejuvenates itself very quickly provided you give it some assistance. The least healthy people can change many underlying medical conditions within a short period of time just by eating healthy nutrient dense foods in the right quantities and exercising.

You can do this!

Stephanie Parker, CPA, MSFP, is a MassCPAs member and is the co-owner and certified transformation life coach at Soul Warrior Consulting, Inc. Contact her at sparker@soulwarriorconsulting.com. Michael LoColle is a co-owner, certified personal trainer and nutrition consultant, and certified shamanic life coach at Soul Warrior Consulting, Inc. Contact him at mlocolle@soulwarriorconsulting.com.