When someone says self-care, what might come to mind are spa days, bubble baths, treating yourself, going out for dinner with friends or anything else that spoils you…
I love a warm bath, cuddling up with a good book or having a latte at my favorite coffee shop but I know that at the end of the day there are other important things that I need to do to take care of myself.
One of my long-term friends and I joke about what people say when we are going through something hard in our lives. The question is often, “what are you doing to take care of yourself?” when the last thing we need is a bubble bath, we just need make sure our family is taken care of and the baths will come later.
As someone with a long history of working in the caring profession I know how important it is that we don’t neglect our self, however, treating ourselves may not be the most important part of self-care.
After I take a day off to just focus on myself, I might feel good in the moment but if I have put off important things like paying bills, cleaning my house, doing my laundry or connecting with friends or relatives in need, the joy of my day will be short lived.
With so much focus in the world today on short term satisfaction we may lose sight of what truly gives us peace of mind.
When we feel a sense of achievement we feel better about ourselves. I often suggest to new parents that they set a goal of completing one thing that needs to be done each day and this can start to turn around feelings of over-whelm.
We all have unique self-care needs. It might be helpful to consider the short- and long-term feelings associated with the choices you choose to make. If you are exhausted at the end of a long day the best way you can take care of yourself may be sleep. If you are feeling lonely then self-care might be a night out with friends. If your bills are weighing on your mind, skipping the pedicure or manicure and putting that money towards your Visa bill may leave you feeling better than the spa would!
Only you can decide what self-care means for you but it might be refreshing to think you are taking care of yourself when you pay your bills, buy groceries or support someone else in need.
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