One of the saddest things that you can experience is to realize that someone you love is not taking care of themselves. We all know people who are so committed to caring for others that they completely neglect their own well-being, and mental and physical health.
Finally, when things spiral utterly out of control, there’s no getting away from a breakdown waiting to happen. Those you hold dear may suffer an emotional melt-down, or undergo a physical crisis such as a cardiac arrest, respiratory problems, or serious digestive and skin issues and more.
In retrospect, there’s much that could have been done to nip this disaster in the bud. However well-intentioned others are, it’s easy to miss the signs and even those closest to a loved one may not recognize the presence of an impending catastrophe.
The answer is to be proactive about care and encourage your loved ones to take responsibility for their own health and wellness.
What Is Self Care?
You could be a busy mom or dad, caring for high-energy teens or toddlers. Perhaps you pursue a high octane career, or you’re an entrepreneur feeling the pressure of a demanding business. You could be a caregiver looking after a senior or a person with a disability.
All these situations have one factor in common. They leave you very little time to focus on yourself. You are more likely to ignore minor (and some major) health issues, you don’t get quality sleep, your diet is all over the place, and as for exercise – the less said the better! Forget about hobbies, socializing, or even a few hours of quiet Me Time.
This can become a vicious cycle of exhaustion, irritability, anxiety, loneliness, depression, and physical issues such as frequent headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, and in severe cases, alcohol or drug dependency and neglect of personal care and hygiene.
At the root of these issues lies a simple misconception, that taking care of oneself is equivalent to selfishness and self-indulgence. Most cultures place high value on self-sacrifice and self-denial and this is embedded deep in our psyche. That’s why we push ourselves to the extremes when it comes to caring for others.
If you’ve paid attention to the safety drill on board an airplane, you’ll remember what they say – “Put your own oxygen mask first before you try to help someone else, whether it’s your kids or spouse.” The underlying principle is that unless you are fit and strong, you cannot care for someone else.
Top 7 Gift Ideas To Encourage Self-Care in Loved Ones
One of the best things you can give a loved one is something that tells them that you care about them, and want them to care for themselves. Great gifts for self care help to convey just message.
While choosing a self-care gift for a loved one, keep a few pointers in mind.
- How well do you know them and their current tastes and interests?
- Will your gift cause more expense and inconvenience?
- Is your gift appropriate for their environment and lifestyle?
- How can you personalize it and make it unique?
Keeping these factors in mind, here’s our list of the Top 7 Self Care Gifts for your Dear Ones:
- Hampers: You can’t go wrong with a theme hamper. Spend some time and effort in planning the theme. A yoga, aromatherapy or home spa themed hamper is a great idea for those who enjoy a few quiet moments. Or a wine, cheese and chocolate hamper provides oodles of goodies to indulge in. Get your loved one to pamper themselves with a spa themed hamper filled with exotic bath-salts, scented candles, rich moisturizers and serums and soft, fluffy towels.
- Bullet Journals: This is a gift that your dear one will be eternally grateful for. It encourages self-reflection, introspection, communicating deeply with oneself and gaining more understanding of one’s place in the scheme of things. Bullet journaling kits come with a variety of accessories such as markers, color pencils, stickers, sticky-notes, washi tape, a mood-board, gel pens, notebooks, and more.
- Hand or Foot Therapy Kits: These are thoughtful and useful gifts, because people seldom have the time to go to a salon and get a manicure-pedicure done. The kit can contain a range of tools, scrubs, scented salts, moisturizers and soft towels. Add a pen-drive with some soft, soothing music for that final touch.
- Vouchers and subscriptions: If you know what your loved one secretly yearns for, why not fulfill that dream with a gift voucher or subscription? Season tickets to a game or show, salon or spa membership, subscription to a favorite magazine, a gift card for entrance to a sound-bath or reiki session, or an entire day in a sauna are great options. You could also sign them up for a yoga or Tai Chi class keeping their schedule in mind. Make sure that it’s easily accessible and appropriate for their personality and lifestyle.
- Home-Cooked Meals Delivered on Time: this is a great self-care gift for someone who lives alone, because they usually neglect their diet. Instead of unhealthy, packaged, processed stuff, they can enjoy one meal a day that’s thoughtfully prepared and tasty. Pay attention to dietary restrictions they may have, and also their personal preferences. Ensure that the food is well-presented and delivered in eco-friendly containers. If you’re not able to cook the food yourself, outsource it to a reliable and trustworthy local home-cook.
- Experiences: Travel, tickets to an event, literature or music festival, wine and cheese tasting, cooking classes for unusual cuisines, dinner at a fine dining restaurant, a night at an observatory to view the stars, shopping at a fancy boutique, hot-air ballooning, sky-diving or rock-climbing, a house-cleaning service while you put your feet up, a paid-for babysitter while your loved one paints the town red, and more are great gifts. These are memorable as well as thoughtful and personal.
- Sleep Easy Gifts: Lightweight but warm blankets, white-noise maker, silk pillow-cases, soothing music, calming scents, camomile teas, eye-masks, moisturizers, foot and hand lotions, comfortable, pretty nightwear, cozy slippers and socks, book of poems or charming stories, bath salts, aromatherapy essential oils and diffuser, relaxing coloring or painting books are all great choices to promote good quality sleep. You can put a sleep-well hamper together or give one or two items with a heartfelt and calming note.
