Tips from Hotline Outer Banks

YOU MATTER! Taking care of yourself matters too. Self-care is about taking steps to feel healthy and comfortable. Whether the trauma happened recently or years ago, self-care can help you cope with the short and long-term effects.

Physical Self-Care

After trauma, it is important to keep your body healthy and strong. You may be healing from injuries and feel emotionally drained. Good physical health can help support you through this time. Moving, deeper breathing, humming and being playful are some of the ways to cope and bring well-being into your life. Think about a time when you felt healthy, and consider asking yourself the following questions:

• How were you sleeping? Did you have a bedtime routine or nap pattern that made you feel more rested?
• What types of foods were you eating? What meals/foods made you feel healthy and strong?
• What types of exercise did you enjoy? What activities made you feel more energized?

Emotional Self-Care

Emotional self-care means different things to different people. The key to emotional self-care is being honest with yourself. Think about a time when you felt balance and grounded, and consider asking yourself the following questions:

• What fun or leisure activities did you enjoy? Were there events or outings that you looked forward to?
• Did you write down your thoughts? Keep a journal or notebook? Who did you spend time with? Was there someone, or a group of people, that made you feel safe and supported?
• Were meditation or relaxation activities part of your routine?
• What inspirational words were you reading? Did you have a particular author, website, or Pinterest board to go to for inspiration?

Creating small changes can result in feeling better equipped to find joy, notice the beauty, manage stress and anxiety, and seek well-being. You deserve to treat yourself with loving kindness!