Self Care

We all feel overwhelmed and overworked sometimes- it's a given. We live in an era where most of us constantly have to be on the go or working, with little downtime for rest or relaxation, in order to accomplish anything. When we do have openings in our schedules, however, it is vital to designate some of that time to self care, whatever that may mean for each of us. I wanted to talk about what self care is, and what that looks like as a whole, as well as to the individual.

According to good ole Webster, self care is the practice of taking an active role in protecting one's own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress.

I like that definition. That definition works for me because it sticks to the basics. Over the past few years, I feel as though the concept of self care has become so commercialized and commodified. Self care is marketed as a means of spending in order to make yourself feel better, and while that may work for some people, (myself included sometimes, don't even get me started on my impulse buying when I'm stressed) it doesn't work for everyone and it is not the gold standard for what self care should be. No one should feel like they can't afford to practice self care because they don't have the extra money to spend- because let's be real, not everyone has the funds to do self care like the celebrities and popular influencers do. No shade, by any means, because if you can afford it and it works for you, then I'm here for it!

Self care is about being mindful of what you need in times of stress and anxiety, and taking the steps to make sure you give yourself whatever you may need. That looks different for everyone.

 For me, practicing self care looks like binge watching Grey's Anatomy after stressful day, listening to music during a long hot shower after an anxiety attack, writing about what's going on, or sometimes just taking a nap. I even tried out therapy for a while, and am considering doing that again. I try to just listen to what my mind and body need, and then I go from there. I always recommend writing to people because I feel like it's a healthy way to get out whatever those negative thoughts and feelings may be, without having to actually say them out loud if you're not comfortable doing so. You don't even have to read what you wrote ever again if you don't want to, or you could burn whatever it is you wrote to kind of symbolize letting those feelings go. For me, self care is about letting go, and I feel like writing about it is a good way of doing that. Self care for you, for anyone, could just be taking a couple minutes out of your day to breathe. It could be eating your favorite food or watching your favorite movie after a long, stressful day. It really can be that simple.
I would be slacking if I didn't mention that simple self care practices are not a permanent fix for stress and anxiety. If you are someone struggling with your mental health, like I do, it is really important seek whatever help is easily accessible to you. It's important not to let your mental health and well-being slip under the rug just because everyone else around you feels better after that face mask or after getting their nails done. That may not be what works for you, and that is completely ok. Sometimes therapy and medication are necessary, and that is completely ok. That is self care, without a doubt.
Take some time for yourself this week. Whether it's an entire day, or just an hour or so, dedicate sometime to you and your well-being. The world is so demanding of us all, and we deserve to be able to take a step back and take care of ourselves when we need to.

- Alli