Today I’m going to talk about Why I think that self care is important. I thought of this post for a while. I’ve seen many posts and comments where self-care was synonymous with SPA days, weekends away at expensive hotels, fancy meals in posh restaurants. I don’t think this is the case, I don’t think self care means a SPA day. You can relax at a SPA, of course, why not. But, if you can’t afford the SPA day, it only can mean two things, not going and feeling the added peer pressure because someone else from your group is going. The other thing is to spend the money on credit card, that leads to financial pressure, that is the opposite of self care. I love going to a massage, it’s relaxing, but I wouldn’t pay with the credit card for it.
For me, taking care of oneself means making a cup of tea/coffee/hot chocolate, cuddle up on the sofa with a good book. A hair mask and a Homemade coffee body scrub can make you feel amazing. Going to bed early at 8 or 9, reading a bit or doing a Sudoku, relaxing before sleeping. All these things mean self care.
Anther thing I think is very important is to eat healthy. Cake is amazing, chips are fab too, they are great to eat, but making a healthy and nutritious meal that is tasty too (even if not as tasty as the cake and chips are), means self care. If we can go past “treats” as in sugary and/or fatty, unhealthy pieces of food, we might discover a world of tasty dishes that are healthy too. Taking care of your body means, in my mind, eating good just as important as applying moisturizer in the mornings or brushing my teeth. Breaking away from the “norms” of sugary hot chocolates generously topped with whipped cream as self care can make a huge difference. A healthy smoothie can be just as exciting if you are thinking of it as something you are doing for yourself instead of something you “have” do to.
Taking the time to remove the makeup, to apply a moisturizer, a lip balm, a foot balm. All these things are easy to make and they don’t take a lot of time. Many times I hear from friends or just women I interact with on social media that they don’t have time to do that. I think making sure you follow a basic skincare regime that takes less than 5 minutes is much more important than spending 30 minutes on Instagram or twitter to catch-up.
Everything you do for you that is actually good too, will make you feel even better. Loving oneself brings more happiness and less stress. If you are a mother, you would like your children to take care of themselves, so, being a role model is a great way to do that. For me, self care is not selfish, is just the opposite.
I hope I have inspired you to do a bit more today for you, to take a few more minutes to do something good for you. Do you think of other things that mean self care without having to spend lots of money?
Great post Anca! Lovely.
For me something that represents self care is my daily meditation and living in the present in stillness. It sounds complicated but it’s not. You meditate for a few minutes and mentally relax. It’s good for your peace of mind and for the others around you, friends and family because they can feel your vibrations and your mood. Living in the present is like taking a moment once in a while to just be in stillness, to fell at peace, to stay present in that moment. It also brings peace and calmness, it’s like a mental shower so to speak.
My main things are eating healthy, going to the gym and having breaks from alcohol. I feel rubbish if one of these slip. Not just physically, but mentally!
Corinne x
Self care certainly doesn’t mean spending lots of money, you’re right! I love treating myself to a coffee sometimes, or buying myself lunch. it’s the little things!