According to the Oxford Dictionary, self care is defined as, “the practice of taking action to preserve or improve one’s own health, or “the practice of taking an active role in protecting one’s own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress.” I believe self care is something we all should practice to stay sane, especially during times like this, as we are experiencing a global pandemic. As a girl, I practice self care in various ways, such as going shopping or getting my hair or nails done. However, I was curious about how men practiced self care. I imagined the way women practice self care and the way men practice self care can be very different. This past week, I asked five men whose ages ranged from 18 to 82 how they practice self care for their minds, bodies, and souls. Here is what they said:
Bryan, 18, said he practices self care by taking a break when stressed to watch videos on YouTube, play basketball, and/or listen to music. His favorite song to listen to is “Easy to Love” by Rylo Rodriguez.
Ola, 18, said he practices self care by praying daily, exercising, and listening to music when he needs a break to de-stress. His favorite song to listen to when stressed is “Do Better” by Gunna
KG, 22, said he practices self care by reading Scripture, working out, and going on drives alone to listen to music to de-stress. A few of his favorite songs to listen to on his drives include “More Problems” and “Project Baby” by Rylo Rodriguez. He also said that mental health is very important to him, so therapy is a part of his self care routine.
Anthony, 23, said he practices self care and takes time to de-stress by playing video games, taking his dog on a walk, and listening to music. He said he does not have a particular song that he listens to when stressed, but nine times out of ten, he will listen to a song by J. Cole.
Andre, 50, says he practices self care and takes time to de-stress by cleaning, doing yard work, and riding his bike.
Cecil, 81, says he practices self care and takes time to destress by thinking about positive things, listening to his “old school music,” and looking at old family photo albums, which helps him relive happy experiences he has had in the past.
While conducting this survey, I noticed many of the ways these men de-stress and practice self care include doing something physical. I found this interesting, because exercise has actually been scientifically proven to help with different things such as anxiety and stress, because exercising helps lower stress hormones such as cortisol. I have to say that after surveying all five of these men, I have picked up a few ideas as to how I will practice self care in the future.