Social Self-Care
Social self-care is essentially as simple as it sounds: it is about caring for your unique social needs. This begins by having a good understanding of what your social needs are (knowing that we are dynamic beings and our needs are allowed to change on an hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, yearly - you get the idea - basis).
One way to begin considering your social needs is through the introversion/extroversion framework. A very simplistic (and unscientific, albeit, for me, helpful) way to think about introversion and extroversion is that introverts tend to require more alone time to recharge and typically enjoy spending time one-on-one or in small groups; and extroverts feel energized (rather than drained) by being around (usually large groups of) people and require a higher amount of social stimulation. All of us need alone time and all of us need connection, however, we require different things in differing degrees. To explore this topic more (specifically if you do identify as an introvert), I recommend the book Quiet by Susan Cain.
Below are some questions to consider to determine how you’re already meeting your social needs and to see where there might be room for change and growth:
Who do you turn to when you need support? Who comes to you for support?
Are you able to set boundaries with the people in your life? (A great book for learning more about boundary-setting is Boundary Boss by Terri Cole.)
Are you currently feeling drained socially? Or are you feeling energized? Or something in between?
In addition to deepening your understanding of what your social needs are (and how your life is or isn’t set up to meet those needs), you might consider some of the following ideas in order to nourish your social self-care domain further.
If you’re looking for more social engagement, you might try:
Meet new friends by joining a local in-person or online club (you could try Meetup)
Meet a friend for coffee or a walk (or some other activity you enjoy doing together)
Call a friend or relative
Go to a group class, such as a yoga class or painting class
Volunteer
If you are feeling socially drained, you might try:
Saying no to the next party you’re invited to
Spend quality time by yourself or with a pet
Spend time with someone you are close to who doesn’t drain your social battery (if you have a person like this in your life)
Put your phone away for the evening
Some other ideas ideas include:
Working with a therapist to learn more about your social needs
Joining a support group if you’re working through something difficult
Practice Mindful Self-Compassion online
Explore your own boundaries
Are you looking for support to navigate relationships with others or yourself? Please feel free to reach out for a free 15-minute consultation, or schedule the consultation directly on my calendar.
For more information, please see the article 6 Types of Self-Care & Ways to Practice Them, from which much of this information has been gathered.
