It’s Ok to Practice Self-Care
Take the time you need, and do it guilt-free.
What is self-care? It can mean something different for everyone, but conceptually it is being in tune with your needs. The topic of self-care is at the forefront of today’s society more than it’s ever been, but why did it take us so long to get here?
The average person would say that they are more concerned with the needs of others (i.e. children, spouse, work, etc.) over themselves and wouldn’t consider doing anything for their benefit a priority; this is was basically the mentality of any mom out there, it was certainly my mom’s. When dinner time rolled around, she would make sure that everyone else’s plate was served and that they had everything they needed before she would even think about fixing a plate for herself and having a seat. Is there something wrong with this behavior? Definitely not, I’m even guilty of doing this a time or two — or a thousand. When you’re a caring and compassionate individual, it’s a natural instinct to want to make sure that those around you are properly tended. But what if we took that attentiveness and compassionate behavior and used it to take care of ourselves just the same?
Why is it hard to do anything for your benefit? Is it a fear of being perceived as selfish? Putting our needs at the top of the list, along with those that we care about, is just as important if not a crucial part of practicing self-care, which in turn helps us live happy and healthy lives. Self-care can be anything that brings you joy. Whether it be something as elaborate as a spa weekend, or as simple as drinking a glass of your favorite wine while reading a book. It is when we take the time to do these things that we are truly taking time for ourselves and being in tune with our needs. How can we care for others if we are not also fulfilling our own needs?
Don’t let feelings of superfluous guilt overwhelm you. Take time for yourself, make your wants and needs a priority, and most importantly recognize that you too are deserving.
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