If you think you’ve been hearing more about self-care lately, you’re absolutely right. With many stressors in our lives and around the world, the idea of self-care is even more present.

Self-care is defined by the World Health Organization as “personal health maintenance to improve or restore health and to treat preventative diseases.” Just to be clear, self-care is not the same as self-indulgence or being selfish, but rather, it means means taking care of yourself so that you can be healthy, you can feel great, physically, mentally and emotionally. When it comes to your health, self-care can help you manage stress, lower your risk of illness, and increase your energy, even small acts in your daily life can have a big impact.

When the pandemic started our daughter Sofia was barely 6 months old, all the unknowns and pressure of keeping our heads above water felt heavy, and we discovered just how important it was for us to not only create space for self-care, but also to stick to it. We slowly built our self-care regime, which we stick to as best as we can (some days are better than others, and that’s ok too). Self-care is something deeply personal and it could be anything that floats your boat — anything that puts a smile on your face, anything that makes you feel cared for. We’ll share a few examples that may resonate with you, or inspire you to give it a try. Let’s dive in!

Emotional self-care

Emotional self-care is the act of nurturing and tending to your inner feelings and emotions. This can be anything from daily affirmations, how you self-talk, weekly bubble baths, allowing yourself to say “no” to things that cause unnecessary stress, giving yourself permission to take a rest, or setting up a weekly coffee date with a friend


Physical self-care

Physical self-care ensures that your body functions properly on a day to day basis, such as prioritizing sleep, sticking to your exercise routine, or choosing healthy and nourishing foods over highly processed ones


Spiritual self-care

When is the last time you nurtured your spirit? A LOT is said about the importance of nurturing the physical body through diet and exercise, but the spiritual body is often forgotten. Spiritual self-care can be anything that helps you develop a deeper sense of meaning and understanding, and can also help you get in tune with the beliefs and values that guide your life. This can include spending time in nature, meditating, incorporating regular acts of kindness into your day, or keeping a gratitude journal.

This month, we’ll send weekly self care ideas to our EA Fitness members, one from each category that you can give a try. Make sure to check your email and let us know which one was your favourite!