"How can I start putting myself first? When self care is not a trend but a choice for life"…
We’ve all heard it a million times. “Practice self-care!” There are countless articles on how to do this. There are vlogs about it. It’s never ending. Because of this, most people just assume that self-care is a trend that will eventually phase out. Even more people don’t really understand what self-care exactly is.
Truthfully, there’s a lot of misconceptions about self-care and what it entails. For most, they hear the words self-care and assume it’s just taking a hot shower or bubble bath. Or unwinding at the end of the day with a glass of wine or book. And certainly, those all make great cases and are forms of self-care. But these shouldn’t be things that you see as “treat” to yourself, but as a way of taking care of your mental health.
Self-care is more than a mini pampering session you treat yourself to every once in awhile. It’s an active choice that you should make every day. The choice of putting YOU first. But, how can you do that? First, by understanding that self-care = taking care of your mental health.
How To Begin Putting Yourself First
First, you should understand the importance of self-care for your mental health. It’s letting yourself being taken care of. Of putting your needs first, despite everything you have going on. Why? Because when you are allowing yourself the opportunity to take care of YOU, you are making sure you aren’t burning yourself out.
When we look at self-care with the mentality of “treating ourselves” to something simple like a hot shower or unwinding after a long day, we are denying ourselves a lot. We are teaching our brains to say, “this is an indulgence and all I deserve.” We are denying ourself the very same care that we extend to everyone else in our lives. But you deserve so much more than that.
You deserve more than just the quick grab-and-go meal. It’s sitting down to a prepared meal that gives your body the nutrition it needs. It’s taking care of your body’s basic needs.
You deserve more than just the quick shower. It’s taking a hot bath while reading a book you’ve been meaning to finish. The relaxation time you desperately need to feel ready for each new day.
It’s the Saturday morning catch-up session with a friend instead of quick short texts. That inherent need humans have to be social and connected with one another.
Self-Care Is More Than Just A Trend
It shouldn’t be short fleeting moments that only barely scratch at the surface of what you truly need. It’s not a trending new hairstyle that will fade over time, as every trend does. Self-care should not be viewed as something momentary, but a lifestyle choice. It’s the lifestyle choice to fully give in to the basic needs of your body, mind, and soul.
Self-care is admitting, sometimes, that we aren’t ok. That we aren’t always our absolute best selves. It’s the admittance of knowing our mental health has not been taken as seriously as it should. It’s the acceptance that we are doing our best that we can, in the ways that we know how.
The past few years of isolation from the world have taught us all how important our basic needs are. Of taking care of YOU so you don’t experience burnout. And then anxiety because you are overwhelmed. And then depression because you can’t get out of the funk you are in. No, self-care isn’t just “allowing” ourselves to feel okay in the moment. It’s the feeling of contentment and mental stability that we should always put first. Because we deserve that much and more. And if your self-care is sitting there and doing absolutely nothing, then so be it. It’s your choice and lifestyle—just make sure that whatever you do, you do it every day.
If you are struggling to learn to put yourself first and take care of you, know that you aren’t alone. If you need help on this journey of better mental health, don’t hesitate to reach out.
