While we are integrated, whole beings, it is sometimes too overwhelming or complicated to think about all the ways we might respond to situations.

Throughout the journey to self-care and renewal, there will be times when it might be helpful to "try on" new ideas or practices by thinking about how they might apply to certain situations or aspects of our lives. For instance, one way we can think about ourselves is by the way we respond intellectually to different situations, i.e. our "mental" self. Other dimensions of ourselves might include the way we feel inside (our "emotional self"), how our bodies respond (our "physical self"), or the soulful thoughts and feelings that make up our "spiritual self".

Once we have reflected on the impact that a new idea or practice might have on each of these dimensions of our being, we can judge more accurately whether the idea or practice is worth continuing.