Here are some signs and symptoms to keep an eye on, they usually mean self-care is in order;

• You’re Irritable Often
• You’re Late Often
• You Have Panic Attacks
• You Struggle to Relax

You’re Irritable Often

When you’re in need of more self-care, it’s a lot easier to be upset or disgruntled. This is because the toll of going without what you need is beginning to weigh in on you, and the resentment that you feel has begun to slowly carve itself into other areas in life.

Being mindful of what is actually bothering you will help you to focus on correcting the problem. This can be especially true of long-term romantic relationships.

You’re Late Often

The tendency to be late can be caused by two main things, which are: the need to squeeze too much into an unreasonably short period of time or the need procrastinate because you never feel as if you rest completely. One example of this can be seen in the habit of waking up with less time to get ready and trying to complete projects that required more time to plan.

If you are the kind of person who listens to the alarm more than once, then you could be doing serious damage to your restfulness because you are waking up every few minutes instead of sleeping without interruption.

You Have Panic Attacks

Stress can build up in the body and cause it to have strange symptoms. If unchecked they can manifest into more serious conditions over time. Panic attacks are often the result of a lot of stress carried for long periods without relief or any sort of outlet.

You Struggle to Relax

How good at relaxing are you? If you have trouble relaxing, it could mean that you need to spend more time relaxing. It can also mean that you have a lot of open projects going on that doesn’t seem to have an end. Try to designate a day where you take actual time to not have to do anything. Try meditating! It does wonders for your mind.

Make it your time to sit without having to worry about completing anything. Self-care at it’s best.

There are many things you can do to empower yourself and promote personal wellness. Reading uplifting books is often neglected as an important part of a self-care routine. There is something special about sitting in a comfortable chair to read a book and take time for yourself.

The following books are great for self-care:

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

Don’t let the title of this book fool you. The Artist’s Way isn’t a manual for oil painting. Julia Cameron wrote this book over 25 years ago in an effort to help creative people focus on their wellness. The great thing about the book is that you don’t have to be an artist to benefit from Cameron’s wisdom.

Cameron advocates setting aside personal time for journaling and for what she calls a weekly “artist date.” Her conviction is that individuals must learn how to reconnect with their imaginative inner child. What she suggests makes sense. As we grow older there is a tendency to let adulting overwhelm us to the point that we sacrifice joy.

Personal Power by Anthony Robbins

Tony Robbins has become the premier motivator of our modern society. His rise to fame began with Personal Power, a book that still forms the core philosophy of Robbins’ motivational seminars. It is a complete course in learning how to shift your mindset into a positive direction that will help you achieve important goals.

The right mindset is an important part of self-care. In this classic book, Robbins discusses his own take on neuro-linguistic programming or NLP. Robbins adapted the principles of NLP into his own system which stresses taking personal responsibility for one’s growth and development.

Reading the book might not inspire you to make the firewalk that is a staple of Robbins’ seminars, but it will challenge the way you think about how you are mentally framing your life experience.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

Dr Stephen R. Covey was a master on the art of self-care and left behind an impressive literary legacy when he passed away in 2012. This book was his most important work. Covey walks the reader through a list of seven things that become habits of those who succeed in life.

One of the best things of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People is this book can teach us how positive habits are cultivated and formed. Covey not only explains the principles of success but gives a detailed explanation and action plan that will help the reader create the habit. The book also reinforces the notion that successful people share common traits. As Robbins also suggests, modelling those who have mastered the art of living is an effective way to proceed on one’s own life journey.

Taking a few moments each day for reading is something YOU deserve. It will help you to realize that working on your wellness should be a priority.

Start small if you must and read for a few minutes. Work on lengthening your reading sessions each day. Reading can also help you disconnect from things like social media and television in order to cultivate stillness of mind.

Now, that’s self-care!

How about you? What do you do to self-care?

Let me know in the comments, I would love to hear from you!