Understanding Self-Awareness and Self-Care

As a caregiver for a person with NDD, much of your focus is devoted to ensuring the well-being and support of that individual. To ensure we provide the best care for those we care for and to sustain our well-being, we need to take care of ourselves too.

Self-care is the practice of taking care of oneself regularly to maintain and improve one's overall well-being. It includes activities beneficial for the body, emotions, spirit and mind, such as exercise, nutrition, stress management, and healthy social relationships. Each person has self-care needs, and it is important to determine what nurtures and sustains you. Self-care is important because it helps to prevent burnout, reduce stress, and improve overall health and well-being. In addition, self-care can improve your mood, increase resilience, and promote a more positive outlook on life.

Self-awareness is an important aspect of self-care because it allows individuals to understand better and acknowledge their own needs, emotions, and patterns of behaviour. By being self-aware, individuals can identify areas of their lives where they may need to make changes to maintain and improve their overall well-being.

Personal wellness is a lifelong process that involves multiple dimensions, such as physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional wellness. This module will explain these dimensions in greater detail and provide tools to assess and improve your overall wellness.