Self Care, Self Love

“When I finally learned about forgiveness and letting go of shame and guilt, I started liking myself. It took years to embrace the concept of loving myself and I’m still working on that. What I learned in the process is that when I like and even love myself, I want to take better care of myself. Self care is now a part of my normal daily routine.” NWI Training Participant

For people working in Indian Country where the needs of the people are so demanding, it is critical to understand what self-care is and to incorporate daily self- care techniques into your work and personal life. Self-care is taking care of our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being. It’s doing things that make us feel good, make us feel special, relieves stress, rejuvenates us, energizes us and better prepares us for serving others. It’s not selfish to want to take care of ourselves.

“We can only give what we have.” If we are stressed out, burned out, angry, frustrated and even depressed, that is what we are giving back to the people we are serving or even to our own families.

Self-care techniques at the office can include regular breaks where we go outside, deep breathing exercises, stretching, going for a walk, eating with friends and creating wellness in the workplace.

Self-care at home might include reading, doing hobbies or crafts that we enjoy, taking time to sit alone, taking a hot bath, visiting with friends and family, exercise, meditation or participating in culture.

An established self-care routine takes practice. Keep working on it until it becomes a norm in your life. You are worth it!



-Native Wellness Institute