Self-Care Isn’t Selfish.
Self-care has become a sort of a buzzword lately. We hear it all the time, and many of us likely have some specific images in mind when we think about self-care. When you hear the word self-care, do you think about bubble baths, fancy coffee drinks, and binging your favorite show? Or, when you hear the word self-care, do you think about guilt – guilt that you don’t do it enough, or guilt that you do it and take time away from your other responsibilities?
Self-care is different from self-soothing. Many of the activities we think of as self-care (bubble baths, binging Netflix, getting our favorite drink from Starbucks, or even doing a face mask. to name a few) are actually self-soothing activities. Self-soothing activities help calm us down in the moment or reduce stress once we are already feeling stressed out. On the other hand, self-care is a preventative measure to help us avoid getting overly stressed or burnt out in the first place. Proper self-care is finding ways to strengthen yourself physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Physical self-care can include eating well, drinking plenty of water, practicing good sleep hygiene, and getting regular exercise. Emotional self-care can consist of journaling, going to therapy, practicing mindfulness, and setting good boundaries for yourself. Spiritual self-care can include prayer, meditation, or spending time in nature. These are only a few examples of how you can fill your cup and be sure you can continue living the life you want.
What do we do when we feel like we don’t have time to engage in self-care? We have to consider that self-care isn’t selfish or greedy or a luxury. Self-care is a necessary part of being a whole person. I mentioned filling your cup in the previous paragraph. When we give to others – our job, our family, our friends – we pour out our own cup. This is fine, but what do we do when our cup is empty? You cannot pour from an empty cup. So, we must find ways to fill our cup, and that is where self-care comes in. Repeat it with me – self-care IS NOT selfish!
If you are interested in talking to a therapist about improving your self-care, call us today at 931-805-5780.
