The Environmental Dimension of Self-Care, one of LivingUpp’s 8 Dimensions of Self-Care, focuses on environmental health—how you harmonize and interact with the world around you. This dimension of self-care helps you reconnect with the earth’s natural patterns, support your local community, and create sacred spaces where you can rest and recharge.
In this article, you’ll learn about the environmental dimension of self-care, so you can support your health as well as the health of your community.
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What is Environmental Self-Care?
Environmental self-care is any action you take to improve the conditions of the world around you. Over time, the small choices you make every day has a big impact on the world.
LivingUpp defines self-care as a preventive health strategy involving actions and behaviors that improve, restore, or maintain good health. By implementing a holistic self-care practice, you’ll spend less time and money on sick care and more time living your life.
Examples of Environmental Self-Care
Here are some environmental self-care examples to help you design a healthy lifestyle:
Community
Being part of a community beyond your own household can have a positive impact on your health. Being actively engaged in your local community can help you extend your support system and enrich your relationships.
Environmental self-care strategies that support your local community:
- Giving blood
- Donating to charity
- Voting
- Volunteering
Environmental Impact
Reduce, reuse, and recycle. You’ve heard the catchy slogan before. Reducing the amount of waste you produce not only benefits the earth, but it also supports your physical health.
Environmental self-care strategies that have a positive environmental impact:
- Using reusable shopping bags
- Using a composter
- Using reusable produce bags
- Recycling
- Using laundry detergent strips
- Using stainless straws
Nature Therapy
Spending time in nature is a simple act of self-care comes with big health benefits. Research has linked “forest bathing” to lower blood pressure, reduced stress, and increased creativity. Walking, camping, hiking, gardening, and other outdoor activities have been shown to boost your mood as well.
Environmental self-care strategies that help you stay connected to nature:
- Walking in nature
- Planting a garden
- Going camping
- Consulting with a permaculture designer
- Adopting a pet
- Applying sunscreen (when spending more the 20 minutes in the sun)
Living Spaces
Your living spaces have a direct impact on your well-being. Depending on your personality and preferences, cluttered spaces may amplify stress and feelings of overwhelm. As you develop your luminescent self-care practice, these details will become more apparent.
Environmental self-care strategies that support healthy living spaces:
- Decluttering your personal spaces
- Adding houseplants to your spaces
- Creating a sacred space
- Having your home professionally cleaned
- Using essential oils
- Adding water features
- Changing your home and auto air filters
- Cleaning your refrigerator
- Making your bed
- Rearranging furniture
- Buying flowers
- Changing your bed sheets
- Adding an emergency kit to your car
- Buying a new pillow
- Organizing your closet
Using the 8 Dimensions of Self-Care Framework
The 8 Dimensions of Self-Care framework simplifies the healthy lifestyle design process. Using the 8-dimensional self-care pinwheel, you can easily develop a holistic self-care practice that supports the key areas of your life.
Here’s a quick overview of the 8 Dimensions of Self-Care:
- The Systemic Dimension of Self-Care: How you eat, move and rest
- The Emotive Dimension of Self-Care: How you express yourself
- The Luminescent Dimension of Self-Care: How you illuminate your inner truth
- The Financial Dimension of Self-Care: How you allocate your resources
- The Cognitive Dimension of Self-Care: How you think
- The AptitudinalDimension of Self-Care: How you contribute to the world
- The RelationalDimension of Self-Care: How you connect with others
- The Environmental Dimension of Self-Care: How you harmonize with nature
If you’re looking for some structure to help bring self-care into your daily life, the Lifestyle Design Planner incorporates the 8 Dimensions of Self-Care framework and the Rate Your 8 self-care assessment tool into its daily planning pages. This makes it easier to prioritize and plan your self-care rituals.
How to Support Your Environmental Dimension of Self-Care
The Environmental Dimension of Self-Care plays an integral role in building and maintaining good health on a global level. To design a environmental self-care practice, choose specific self-care strategies that strengthen your environmental well-being.
You may need to experiment with different forms of self-care to determine what is and what isn’t effective for you. Over time, you’ll be able to curate a collection of self-care activities that align with your values and personal brand.
What are your favorite environmental self-care activities? Share in the comments below.
Information on this website should not be interpreted as providing or replacing medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All content is intended for adults over the age of 18. *LivingUpp is a participant in affiliate programs, which means we may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases on links to Amazon and other sites at no additional cost to you.
Originally published 3/20/2020
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