Self-care is the practice of taking action to preserve or improve one's own health, as well as the practice of taking an active role in protecting one's own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress.
Basically, it's the act of caring for yourself in the long run. It may take various shapes and forms and it might look different for every single one of us. Taking time off to rest or recharge your batteries, is crucial, but it is essential to understand first if taking time off is actually needed or just an excuse to skip other things.
Over the internet, self-care has taken a different direction. I've read posts and blogs claiming that skipping your exercise because you don't feel like it and having a donut instead is a form of self-care. Is it though? Not only are you invoking an opportunity to break a good habit by not going to the gym, but you are also rewarding yourself for neglecting your health.
If there is a serious reason you should skip exercise that specific day, it is only up to you to recognize the reasons. But breaking good habits because I don't feel like it is nothing close to what I'd do to care for myself.
What does self-care look like to you?
For me, self-care is taking the time to write my thoughts down on paper, exercise, and eat healthy, and every now and again I take a minute to breathe. Breathing is so underrated, considering it's what's keeping us alive. How often do you pause to notice your breathing? Just try it. Breathe.
I've always been a morning person. Even when I'm exhausted and drowsy, I make myself get up early, even if I don't feel like it, because I know those hours just before the sun wakes up are the most important hours of my day. From the moment I start working, to the moment I go to bed, there is no time for myself. Everyone needs some time alone with themselves. And for me, there is no better time for that than early in the morning, when the world is still asleep.
The quiet of those hours are exactly what I need. And I suppose you have plenty on your to-do lists, as well, whether you're a student or you have a job, or both, you also have chores to do and you have events to attend-maybe you have kids, too. I've noticed that from the moment the world wakes up, everyone feels entitled to demand anything at any time. And just like that, the time I might have set aside for myself might vanish into thin air without any warning.
That's why I highly suggest taking some time in the morning, before anything else, to care for yourself, whatever that looks like to you. You don't have to wake up at five to achieve that. You could just get up 30-60 minutes earlier, depending on what you want to spend your time on. You could even just sit on your couch for 15 minutes or so and enjoy a warm cup of coffee or tea. Do something for yourself before you give in to the urgencies of people and circumstances. Just remember the time you send for yourself is time only for thyself. Don't wake up earlier just to spend those minutes on Instagram instead - or worse, reading the news!
Starting your day with a simple self-care routine also helps you set the mood for the day.
Since the beginning of this pandemic, I do yoga first thing in the morning and then I write my morning pages (a stream of consciousness) before I start working. It has helped a lot with finding my balance and dealing with seclusion, as well as improving my overall mental health and self-confidence.
Spend some quality time with yourself for your own benefit, before the world wakes up. Start your day on your own terms. You'll thank yourself later.
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