Disney-Fying Self-Care

There is a common misconception when it comes to self-care. When people hear that term, they make it synonymous in their minds with being self-indulgent or being selfish. Even in self-development and career-building workshops, where self-care is in the foreground of the conversation, it is never clearly defined. So professionals hear the term, understand its importance, but rarely engage in it. In the 11th episode of Happiest Pod on Earth, “Disney-Fying Self-Care,” Stef and I dive into self-care. We give tips and tricks, both professional and personal, on the different ways we use Disney mediums to incorporate self-care into our everyday lives.

We begin by defining self-care as a conscious act. It's actively engaging and participating in a practice meant to establish and maintain specific pillars of wellbeing, which prevents illness or deterioration. The common pillars we touch on include hygiene, lifestyle, nutrition, environment, medical care, mental care, and cultural connection.

This working definition becomes the framework of the episode, as we discuss various self-care practices. These seven pillars, which differ slightly from the seven pillars established by the International Self-Care Foundation, are the ones that I use in my private practice fairly regularly.

• Hygiene: conditions and practices that help sustain health and prevent the spread/contagion of diseases. These practices may include living and working conditions that are sanitized, washing hands, regulated sleep schedules, brushing teeth, etc.

• Lifestyle: the habits, moral standards, attitudes, world view, and economic level that support an individual’s underlying needs. These habits may include travel, attending church, having a collection (such as Funko Pop figures or coins), volunteering, painting, investing, etc.

• Nutrition: the act of a balanced intake that meets the needs of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs. These acts may involve eating a balanced diet, communicating assertively, learning new skill-sets, cooking, prayer, meaningful conversation, etc.

• Environment: having a cultivated space that inspires and promotes well-being, a sense of belonging, and a sense of purpose. These spaces could include a gym, supportive school setting, supportive work setting, creating a comfort corner, playing comforting music, having a decluttered household, room in a relationship to express feelings, affirming friendships, access to childcare, etc.

• Medical Care: the ability to practice and process health information, obtain resources for medical care, and access to medical-based treatment. This could mean both having and using insurance, having a primary care doctor, attending regular check-ups, taking time to heal when sick, engaging in medical needs appropriately (such as taking medication at the prescribed amounts), freedom to discuss medical concerns, having medical conditions fully explained, attending physical therapy, attending acupuncture, etc.

• Mental Care: the ability to practice and process health information, obtain resources for mental care, and access to mental health-based treatment. This could mean both having and using insurance, having a therapist, attending a support group, engaging in mindfulness-based practices, talking to a school counselor, engaging in mental health needs appropriately (such as taking medication at the prescribed amounts), freedom to discuss mental health concerns, supportive relationships, boundaries around mental and emotional labor, etc.

• Cultural Connection: acts that create belonging, attachment, and understanding of the various intersecting parts of an individual and the cultures they define themselves in. These acts may be celebrating holiday gatherings, running programs at local festivals, attending church, teaching traditions to younger family members, visiting family of origin, visiting country of origin, eating culturally impactful foods, wearing culturally significant clothing, ancestry veneration, etc.

One specific practice from the self-care pillars that we highlight as crucial includes learning and engaging in mindfulness. Mindfulness is a practice that has been utilized by many religions and secular traditions, such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, and even areas of Christianity utilize meditative prayer. Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present and aware of the current moment and responding without judgment or reactivity. Studies have shown its benefits include decreasing stress, increasing treatment effectiveness, improving academic success, increasing attention, increasing sustained focus, and preventing burnout. Due to mindfulness being an active practice of sustained focus and attention, it is connected to the self-care pillars of mental health, environment, and lifestyle.

With the focus of Disney mediums in mind, we identify the use of Zenimation, a show created for Disney+ which focuses on refreshing the senses using Disney animation and sound for a moment of mindfulness. Each mindful moment centers around a specific theme, such as “Serenity,” or “Night,” and combines clips and soothing sounds from Disney movies that feature the theme. I describe how I use these specific mindfulness shorts in session, and Stef describes how she uses them as a parent of an infant.

The podcast continues on with other suggestions, including self-care at Disneyland parks, self-care around connection with peers, and self-care with environmental changes.

Listen to the Podcast below:

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