4 Truths About Self-Care
In today’s world, it’s hard to avoid stress. We read and hear things about how important it is to establish a proper self-care routine. Additionally, we’ve learned the importance of our self-care routines extending beyond buying our favorite things or taking a vacation.
Every individual has their own definition of self-care, and that’s the way it should be. Self-care is about doing what you need to do to take care of yourself physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in what television and the Internet say about self-care. I want to share four truths about self-care for you to think about as you navigate your self-care journey.
My Initial Thoughts About Self-Care
I haven’t always bought into the idea of self-care. Honestly, I kinda thought it was a free ticket to avoid the people and events that you didn’t want to be involved with at the time. I learned that I could throw out the phrase self-care to get a pass whenever I started to feel overwhelmed or burned out.
As I got older, became a mom, started my career, and gained more responsibilities, I learned that self-care wasn’t quite as easy as I had once thought it was. I started to feel guilty about taking time for myself and I found it challenging to squeeze in even the simplest act of self-care.
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Here are four truths about self-care that I learned:
Having a self-care routine does not make you selfish.
When you have so many things and people to take care of, taking a moment to yourself often makes you think you are selfish. But you have to realize that these moments allow you to regain the strength you need to continue to take care of the people and things around you.
Psychology Today states that the benefits of self-care are backed by science, so that should help you release the guilt that is often associated with it. It is necessary to indulge in self-care and it’s time out for us feeling bad for doing something essential for our well-being.
A good self-care routine allows you to be more productive, so there is no need for you to feel like a selfish person when you do your routine.
Establishing a self-care routine isn’t always easy.
A good self-care routine reaches far beyond lying in a scented bath and drinking wine (although those are two of my faves). There’s so much more to taking care of yourself and finding solutions to your issues.
Self-care for me and self-care for you probably look very different. That’s the way it’s supposed to be. So, it might take you a few tries to figure out exactly what activities make you feel recharged. While it is good to have self-care ideas and strategies to choose from, it takes some trial and error for you to determine the combination that will make it into your self-care routine.
There will be obstacles as you work to establish a self-care routine. You will be up against your schedule, your feelings, and sometimes your finances as you figure out what self-care looks like for you. But don’t let that stop you. There are several ways to work self-care into your busy schedule, and there are several inexpensive yet effective means of self-care.
It’s true. Self-care is not easy. But it’s worth the effort.
Everyone in the world, including you, can do self-care.
Even if you don’t have a ton of money or resources to get massages or take fancy trips, you can still indulge in a self-care routine. It’s not about using high-end services but instead doing something that you know you enjoy.
Many people believe that self-care has to be earned, but that’s simply not true. Anyone who feels a little overwhelmed by life (or who wants to avoid getting overwhelmed) can and should take a break and develop a self-care routine.
Every person can have a unique self-care routine according to their needs.
Self-care isn’t something that has a specific procedure that everyone has to follow. It can be done according to a person’s nature, mindset, and things that they enjoy. There’s no perfect definition or a special way of taking care of yourself.
What works for you might not work for your friend, and that is completely acceptable. You can develop a self-care routine that suits your personality and is unique to your needs. And also, you don’t always have to do the same things – your self-care routine can change with time.
Truths About Self-Care
Self-care has now become something that is encouraged more and more frequently. Though there’s no correct way to say what taking care of yourself should include, there are things about it that are often misunderstood. Hopefully, these truths will help you feel more empowered to create a self-care routine that you implement as a regular part of your life.
