I have thought quite a bit about the word selfcare lately. As a young homeschooling mom, I know that there were many times that I put myself on the back burner. It would lead to frustration and many times a short fuse with my children. I posted the phrase, “You cannot pour from an empty cup” on social media recently. I wish as a young mom that I would have taken that phrase to heart.
Is Selfcare Selfish?
Dr. Matthew Glowiak of Southern New Hampshire University says, “Self-care includes anything you do to keep yourself healthy – physically, mentally and spiritually.” There can be misconceptions around the word selfcare. In my mind selfcare was negative. I thought that I was being selfish if I took time for myself. My mindset has since changed. I learned that in order to be a good steward of your time and responsibilities, selfcare is a necessity. It actually sets you up to be more efficient and less likely to respond in a negative manner to everyday stresses.
Time to Run Away
Time was another area that I misunderstood with selfcare. For me, selfcare meant running away for the day to have my own time to do whatever I wanted. It often meant indulging in frappes or other treats as comfort as well as shopping. There may be times where that is necessary. However, if we practice regular selfcare tactics, we may experience less days that we feel we need to run away and indulge.
Is There Another Way?
I had the whole concept of selfcare totally wrong. Honestly there were moments where I did not even realize I was practicing selfcare. Not acknowledging when we are actually participating in a selfcare activity can hinder us and hold us back mentally. Moira Lawler at Everyday Health says, “Self-care means taking care of yourself so that you can be healthy, you can be well, you can do your job, you can help and care for others, and you can do all the things you need to and want to accomplish in a day.” This does not indicate that selfcare means giving of yourself every day to others to the point where you become completely depleted. That is what sets us up for the mindset of running away to avoid blowing a fuse. Looking at the true definition of selfcare, we see that selfcare tactics should be incorporated into everyday life.
Mindset Change
My mindset on the topic of selfcare has completely shifted, and I have to admit it was a much-needed change! Even a year ago, I would not have considered putting moisturizer on my face as me-time. Today I do, and I have noticed the positive effect it has had on my mentality. There are so many things on a daily basis that we can do to take care of ourselves that do not require much time. And being real, most of us do need things that can be done quickly and efficiently.
Selfcare Ideas
Some days we have more time than others. Based on the time available will determine what we can actually do for ourselves. Maybe there is a day that we only have little snippets of 5 minutes or less. Some selfcare techniques on such a day may be spending time in deep breathing exercises, jotting down 3 things that you are thankful for, snacking on nutrient dense foods like nuts or blueberries or mixing up a nutritious shake, focusing on something good and writing it down, or even making a list of things that make you happy. Maybe you have 5-10 minutes to debrief and take care of yourself. Meditation, sipping on herbal tea, or sitting with your eyes closed listening to music may give you the peace to finish your responsibilities that day. If you have 10-30 minutes some activities to try could include yoga, exercise, a detox bath, or taking a relaxing shower. A walk in nature can always be beneficial both mentally and spiritually.
Recognizing Your Moment
Remember to acknowledge when you do take time for selfcare. Recognizing your moment, even if it is only for a minute, will help you mentally move on with your day with renewed strength. Give yourself credit when you take that minute to mix up your nutritious shake or deep breathe or exercise. You are taking part in positive tactics to improve your mental, physical, and spiritual health. Be present in those selfcare moments no matter how brief, and you will reap the benefits with consistency.
