Self care as a concept has really exploded over the past few years and it can feel like a bit of a fad and another wellness trend that’s not going to stick around. I’d like to argue that self care is here to stay as it’s an important aspect of wellness that is often overlooked by so many, but actually, it’s invaluable.
Carving out some space in my day for myself has become a habit that I honestly thrive on, and yes there are periods when my self care practices are non-existent, which is when my mental and emotional health really suffers. This to me only reinforces the significant positive impact that my self care rituals and routines have on my life.
There are many mental blocks that we create for ourselves that means we don’t make that precious time for ourselves. Mainly this is down to our mindset surrounding self care and how it works in our lives. With that said, I’ve been thinking about some powerful shifts that may help you move past some blocks that you’ve created if you’re struggling to make your own needs a priority.
You are deserving of your own love and care
Do you think that you’re not deserving of your own care? Do you give yourself to others, but neglect to look after yourself?
Everyone deserves some time to nourish their mind, body, and soul in whatever way they find supporting and uplifting. A mindset that we often get stuck in is that our own needs don’t matter and we put ourselves at the bottom of the priority list. Realising your own worth is a powerful transformation that will help you make more space in your daily routine for some restorative self care, especially as you reap the wellbeing rewards of this essential practice.
Stop comparing your version of self care to somebody else’s
You may note someone’s self care rituals on Instagram and think how amazing it looks, but when you try it for yourself it doesn’t quite have the same soulful nourishment you were hoping for. The important take away here is that one person’s form of self care is another person’s poison and it can be said about every aspect of wellness. Just because something works for one person it doesn’t mean that it’s going to work for you too.
Define what self care means to you by thinking about what makes you feel good, lights you up and rejuvenates you. Spending some time to do this will enable you to focus on your own self-practice and rituals rather than trying to emulate someone else’s that may not be a good fit for you.
I wrote a post about how to stop comparing yourself to others here.
Understand that self care doesn’t have to be complicated
One misunderstanding about self care is that it’s too complicated, time-consuming or costly. Of course, a dedicated wellness retreat abroad or an exotic holiday can be a wonderful and deeply restorative form of self care, but these are both costly and not achievable for everybody. It can be as basic as you want it to be because it’s all about what truly fills your cup back up and nourishes you. It’s important to make your form of self care attainable in your life so that it becomes a perpetual habit that you’re able to carry out regularly rather than just here and there. Simple rituals—like enjoying a calming product from Delta Munchies—can be an easy, affordable way to incorporate self-care into your routine and help you unwind whenever you need it most.
If you’re looking for some quick and simple ideas on how to practice self care in under 10 minutes, here are some ideas for you to try.
Recognise that self care isn’t selfish
Guilt can be a massive reason why someone doesn’t make any time for themselves. They’re too scared to say ‘no’, worried that things won’t get ticked off the to-do list if they take some time out, or feel guilty over the fact that they’re putting themselves before their loved ones.
The reality is that self care isn’t selfish at all, in fact, it’s the most selfless act that you can do for yourself. In order to look after others and carry out our responsibilities with 110% of ourselves, we need to be feeling our best. A car cannot run on an empty tank of petrol and similarly, you can’t function optimally on low energy. Hence, making time for you isn’t just going to benefit you, but everyone in your life too.
IM CURRENTLY STRUGGLING MYSELF WITH THIS AT THE MOMENT SO APPRECIATE THIS BOOST OF REFRESHING INSIGHT AND IDEAS , THANKYOU
Lovely post, I think so many of us need to do this more. I know I do.
Thank you for sharing
Debs @ tiger-mint.com
This is such a great post, we all need to think about self care but I think sometimes a lot of us don’t know how to start or think we should be doing something different, but it doesn’t have to hard just something you enjoy.
Self-care is not complicated and we are all deserving of it. I love this post and self care and self love go hand in hand.
I really need to practice self-care more often – you’re right, it is so important. I will try putting some of your tips into practice.
I tend to suffer with finding time to do some self care, for example since starting a new job a few weeks ago I’ve not managed to find time to have a proper relaxing bath x
Self care is so important, things can easy get on top of you and before you know you are all burnt out x
This is a fab post. I think most people need to look at self care more, we tend to always put others first and forget about outeelves
This is such a great post and I could not agree more with your points, especially not comparing yourself to others. I was always a nightmare for this and for giving too much to others and not taking care of myself. This is definitely something I have worked on over the past year about taking more time for self care
It really is so hard to make that change when you have a kid and your whole life is about them.
It can be, but I think it depends on how you think about self care really. It doesn’t need to big or expensive, just taking a deep breathe can make all the difference.