The Act of Self-Care

Although, hearing the phrase self-care sounds oh so familiar and sometimes cliche, I feel like many of us seem to always push it to the back burner. I wanted to bring some attention to this reoccurring topic, midst the first semester of 2021.

What even is self-care? 

Personally, I feel like self-care is whatever you want it to be. May that be sleeping in more, waking up earlier to make sure you eat breakfast, or even turning your phone off. The things entitled in self-care can be endless and they can be anything you want them to be. It’s just the matter of you doing things that make YOU feel good/happy/great/etc. It’s taking that time out of your regularly scheduled life to do YOU. It’s sounds easier said than done sometimes though.

How does one even do self-care? 

A good percentage of self-care can be free. Taking a walk, talking to a friend, writing away your feeling on paper or on your phone,  staring at the sky, and listening to your thoughts, this list could go on forever. But there’s also self-care for some which may include; trying new food, maybe buying that pair of shoes you keep telling yourself that can wait, taking a 1hr plus drive with no purpose, and listening to music. It can literally be whatever YOUR body is telling you that you need. I always let my thoughts guide me on what I need. May that be meditating/praying/ or whatever you do to get the strength to listen to your body.

Things to remember:

1.) storms in life come and go.

2.) If I need help and know there’s a possibility of someone out there being able to help me, I will reach out.

3.) Stress is a normal aspect of life. Knowing how to deal and react is the act of self-care.

4.) I love myself and I am thankful for life itself.

5.) Talking and writing about how I feel is extremely more effective than neglecting and pushing my feelings away.

6.) It’s cool to cry (minus the stuffy nose part), never question your strength.

7.) I will never feel guilty for taking care of myself.

8.) Breathing, meditating, praying, screaming, singing, exercising, free me from feeling overwhelmed.

9.) If I gave something my all and tried my hardest, I am content with myself.

10.) Complementing myself for something about myself once a day makes me feel loved.

Now tell me, who knows you better than you? No one. It is not selfish to put your needs first. It’s better to take care of yourself when you’re running low on fuel, rather than being stranded in the middle of nowhere feeling hopeless, and not being able to keep going. And the last few sentences, sound better typed/said out loud and can honestly be hard for some of us. But working on ourselves can lead us to the outcome of being able to take care of ourselves. May the act of self-care be a piece of cake, or may it need practice, I hope you give it a try. Be thankful for yourself and grateful for all the amazing things you are/capable of being. Keep going and just know that your cells and organs will thank you.