The term self-care is pretty trendy these days, but what does it really mean? You see people posting about it every day, but how does it relate to your life? Is it taking the time to get a pedicure? Or to watch a movie?
My take on self-care is simple. It is an activity that you partake in, that helps you reset, take a breath and often inspires you. Another way to reference self-care is TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF! Easier said than done, though right? We tend to forget, that in order to take care of ourselves, it takes more than a massage or getting your nails done. Its about taking care of your body, your mind and your soul. Getting that massage will give you a feeling of bliss, but unless you are nurturing the other parts of your life that need caring for, that bliss won’t last. Be careful not to compare what others use an their own self-care, to your own. Remember that we are all unique and so are, our methods of care.
For example, tonight, I was lucky enough to get a massage which is what sparked these thoughts regarding self-care. I walked out of there and said “If I could just feel like this all of the time, life would be so much easier!” Reality check, not gonna happen. There will be bad days, and mediocre days, dark days etc. but how you take care of yourself will determine how you feel on those days. Clearly, I love getting massages (which is a new thing, because I used to despise having a stranger touch me), I love writing, I love reading…. I am practicing self-care right now, as I type this because it makes me feel more alive. So you like hockey? Head to a game! You enjoy coffee? Find a new local coffee house to explore! From simple, to luxurious, find what excites you and relaxes you at the same time. That healthy medium of adrenaline and inner peace that makes you smile.
This is just a friendly reminder that not all self-care is physical and your method of self-care only needs to make sense to YOU.
“I have come to believe that caring for myself is not self indulgent, caring for myself is an act of survival.” -Audre Lorde
Never Say Never. 