Positively Pebbles: What is Self Care Really?

What is self-care, really? National Self-Care Day is April 5th every year, and with spring is now underway, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and re-evaluating when it comes to my well-being. As I mentioned a couple issues ago, I’ve had to do some check-ins with myself to see if I’m doing everything I need to be to take care of myself. I haven’t been, but I have taken some steps.

When we talk about self-care, I feel like we look at it through an Instagram aesthetic: facemasks, getting your nails done, a massage, etc. Don’t get me wrong, all those things are great and can be an important part of your self-care routine. I also think those are the “easy” things to do. I mean, who doesn’t love a good massage?

But when we think about full and impactful self-care, we may need to dig a little deeper. If we look at what self-care actually is, we need to look at the things we choose to do to improve our physical, mental, and emotional health. They can absolutely include the things like massages and nails, etc. And they also need to include the things that make a significant long-term impact on those areas of our health. I (and lots of people on the internet) can give you suggestions and tips on what that looks like, but only you can know what the things are that truly make a difference.

I feel like this may be trial and error for a lot of us, but I also believe that the self-care you choose can give you the ability to thrive and become the best version of yourself. Some of these things may come easily and you may just be out of practice. But there may be something out there that you may have not discovered yet that can help.

But at the end of the day, self-care is caring for yourself. Many of us take care of everyone except ourselves and that’s no way to live. Lack of self-care can lead to things like sickness, moodiness, feeling isolated, and depression. We have to put ourselves on the top of the list of people to take care of. And that’s not selfish. We can’t take care of others if we don’t take care of ourselves. We are just as important as the people we care for. Our needs may not be as immediate, especially if caring for children or the elderly, but if we burn out, it will be even harder to take care of those people and things.

I hope this week you give a little thought to your needs and the ways that you do, or do not, take care of yourself. Think of the things that energize you and make you feel alive. Do more of that. Life is meant to be lived and while we’re all here, we deserve the care we give to others.

Make sure to check out The Positively Pebbles podcast, available here, or wherever you get your podcasts.