What does self-care really look like? Instagram (often even SLFSHLY’s) will tell you it’s white robes, iced lattes, and facials, but that is only a small part of this really crucial movement. At its core, self-care is truly about wellness. It is the realization that taking (or making) the time to care for one’s self isn’t a luxury, but instead absolutely critical to overall wellbeing.
Do not get me wrong, the white robes, pedicures, and hair appointments can be absolutely rejuvenating forms of self-care. And in the past, they’ve always been easy for me to fall back on. Except lately, I have been tightening my spending and can no longer afford regular trips to the masseuse or esthetician. This got me thinking really hard about my own self-care practices and how to best advocate for SLFSHLY followers to develop and maintain their own. In developing my own new practice, I hope to inspire you to do the same, especially if you’ve been feeling less than thrilled by your current (or non-existent) one.
My first step was to unplug from the aesthetic loop playing in my head regarding what counts as self-care. Even though deep down I truly know so much on the topic, it can be hard to practice what I preach sometimes. So, I came to the conclusion that I must reconceptualize how I have been viewing self-care and what I currently have access to.
Categorizing my self-care into mind, body, and soul, helped me realize that going to the spa is only one piece of the puzzle. By identifying the other things that I can do to maintain all of the parts of me, I do not feel like I am missing out AND I will be more holistically fulfilled in the long run. See the Venn diagram I created while brainstorming below…
Some things will only fulfill one category. Others may cover two or all three. The key is to find a good balance of things that help you maintain your personal wellbeing holistically in a way that you can be motivated and excited about.
There are big and small choices we can make each day that count as self-care. Time is actually the most valuable resource you will need. So if you are willing to be intentional about making time for yourself, self-care is absolutely within your grasp!
“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” -Audre Lorde
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SLFSHLY 