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Well, readers, we have reached our final installment of our 'Resiliency in winter' series here at Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka (CFAY). Together, we have braved the harshest winter months in The Land of the Rising Sun and learned valuable lessons. By taking an introspective look at ways we can help improve our mental and physical parameters and encouraging ourselves to be proactive in enacting these changes, we are well on our way toward building resiliency that will last us through the following seasons.
Before we get into our final topic about the importance of self-care, let us do a quick recap of what we have covered since our series began: in our first article, we tackled the importance of relationships— making new friends, maintaining existing ones, or keeping the love alive with your significant other.
Next, we delved into what it means to stay active and the effect moving your body has on keeping your mental resiliency strong and improving your physical health. We looked at how we can break out of our own (sometimes toxic) shells and find a new hobby or something that ignites a new spark within us.
Lastly, we pondered the necessity of, and process for, creating new routines for ourselves because, in the unstructured experience called 'life,' we should seek to build structure when we can.
This brings us to our final often overlooked puzzle piece despite being arguably (in my humble opinion) an essential part of resiliency: self-care.
What is 'self-care,' you might ask? At face value, it might sound like things we already (at least, should) do, like maintaining oral hygiene or showering. Things related to oneself, right? Well, yes, but also no.
As Dictionary.com defines it, self-care is 'the practice of taking an active role in protecting one's well-being and happiness, particularly during periods of stress.' This sounds like a great way to boost one's resiliency, does it not?
Per the national Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) 8 dimensions of wellness, we should seek to balance these areas:
• Emotional
• Environmental
• Financial
• Intellectual
• Occupational
• Physical
• Social
• Spiritual
At first glance, it seems like we have covered a little bit of each of these 'wellness dimensions' in our previous articles, but for clarity, let's look a little closer. According to Dr. Matthew Glowiak, a clinical counseling professor at Southern New Hampshire University, some examples of these dimensions are:
Emotional: Talk to someone, write in your journal (or start one), hug or cuddle a loved one, take a nap, or perhaps even have a crying 'session.'
Environmental: Clean your living quarters, take a walk outside and enjoy the weather (in particular, make sure to absorb your Vitamin D), and take in a breath of fresh air!
Financial: Try developing a savings plan or start saving money in ways you have not attempted before. 'Cut' financial corners when you can, i.e., buying off-brand items for a lower price. Most importantly, cut out those unnecessary purchases (unless it is within your budget and goes toward 'treating yourself!')
Intellectual: Finding new hobbies plays into this dimension well, so try something new! Read, or listen to audiobooks, find a new author. Start, or finish a college course. Challenge yourself and your limits!
Occupational: Clean up your resume, apply for your dream job, learn a trade, or finish your degree.
Physical: Develop a workout plan and try performing exercises daily. Maintain oral and bodily hygiene, visit your doctor annually, and try to get between 7-9 hours of sleep daily.
Social: Make a habit of meeting with friends for small get-togethers, like lunch or dinner. Keep in contact with your family members—volunteer in community-centric events. Practice healthy social media usage, etc.
Spiritual: Learn to meditate and reflect—these two are not exclusive to religious practices but certainly help maintain wellness and mindfulness. Practice the "Golden Rule" and love yourself, others, and always try to provide help when needed. Bill and Ted summed things up the best when they said, "Be excellent to each other."
As we can see, self-care takes on many forms and functions, but all relate to your choices for yourself and how you choose to interact with others and the environment around you. Sure, it can also mean picking up a Snickers bar or a slice of pizza on a bad day too, but in general, the above methods are all tried-and-true ways to keep yourself mentally and physically happy and healthy.
Now that we have reached the end of winter in Japan, we have a wonderfully colorful spring to look forward to with the blooming of the cherry blossoms in March, followed by the warm breeze of summer on its heels. Let us take the practices we have learned in the past few months and make 2022 a year of self-improvement and happiness. I know I will.
If you seek help or assistance, please reach out to the Fleet and Family Support Center at 243-3372 or the USNH at 243-5352 for relationship counseling and other related support services.
For more than 75 years, CFAY has provided, maintained, and operated base facilities and services supporting the U.S. 7th Fleet's forward-deployed naval forces, tenant commands, and thousands of military and civilian personnel and their families.
| Date Taken: | 03.18.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 04.25.2022 20:44 |
| Story ID: | 419255 |
| Location: | YOKOSUKA, KANAGAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 70 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Resiliency in winter: Self-Care, by Patrick Ciccarone, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
