What is self-care? Do you know where the word comes from?
Well I’ll tell you…In the 1950s, it was a word used in the medical community to encourage individuals struggling with PTSD and other mental health problems to practice and have some kind of independence in their own care.
By the 1960s, it was used by civil rights activists to provide care to their communities by giving out food, medical aid, and building up the black community. It also brought forward the idea of taking care of yourself in order to take care of others. Angela Davis described self-care as a way to “incorporate into our work as activists ways of acknowledging and hopefully moving beyond trauma. It means a holistic approach.”
In today’s world, self-care is practiced in many different ways by many different people. It ranges from yoga and meditation to skin care and journaling. Self-care is a way to check-in on yourself. My favorite kind of self-care is to spend time by myself reading, putting on a sheet mask, and listening to music.
What about you…
Is self-care something that is important to you?
If it is, why?
What do you do to practice self-care?
Have these practices evolved and changed over time or remained the same?
Would you recommend practicing self-care to others?
