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Across our 200-year history, the Y has created space for many forms of self-guided care, from nature camps to fitness classes, community outreach, and more. As a growing number of individuals and communities embrace self-guided care as a priority, this commitment has become more important than ever.
We’re passionate about providing self-guided care opportunities for people from every background and belief system. To us, the future of self-guided care is about each of us playing a more proactive, empowered role in their health and wellbeing.
Self-guided care 101
At its core, self-guided care is about taking charge of our own mental and physical health. We might seek help from health care providers, counselors, or faith leaders, but the “self” in self-guided care gently reminds us nobody else can do our work for us. We must each decide for ourselves what “good health” means to us, and then take action.
At a physical level, self-guided care might include a gym workout or a gentle movement practice. It might mean choosing nourishing foods over processed snacks … or sticking to a consistent sleep schedule.
On an emotional level, self-guided care involves acts of love and compassion toward ourselves and others. We might speak out against injustice or volunteer in our community. We might choose to part ways with people who disrespect us. We might look for reasons to step out of our comfort zone. Or we might drop everything and dance in our kitchen—just because it feels good.
Although self-guided care can be as simple as taking a deep breath before responding in a stressful situation, “simple” doesn’t always mean “easy.” Self-guided care motivates us to grow and mature in the face of resistance or adversity. And we all know change can be scary. That’s where community comes in.
Self-guided care takes a village
Even though self-guided care starts—and ends—with each of us, community connection is a vital part of a well-rounded self-guided care routine. We can all practice self-guided care by spending time in communities like the Y that nurture, inspire, and challenge us to be our best.
What’s new in self-guided care at the Y?
When you visit your neighborhood Y, you might see flyers for a small group health coaching series or for one-on-one nutrition consultations. You might notice meditation or sound healing classes on the weekly schedule or get an email about community acupuncture or massage therapy sessions.
These approaches to community self-guided care aren’t new, but we’ve made it part of our mission to make them more accessible to a greater number of people. If you see a class or offering that sounds interesting but aren’t quite sure what it means, just ask! We’re all learning together, and we’re here to help you on your self-guided care journey to better health and greater happiness.
