Fall in love with yourself this Valentine’s Day and start practicing self care!
A new buzz word has come about the past few years “self care.” Now to be perfectly clear, the act of self care is not a new thing, but putting those exact words to it has become increasingly popular as of late. In fact, self care can be traced back as far as the Roman Empire’s famous bath houses providing needed recovery and rejuvenation to all Roman citizens through aromatherapy, hydrotherapy, massages, and exercises. Self care was so vital to their culture that the Roman government was the funding source for these establishments and they were available to all citizens, regardless of wealth or status. This trend can then be seen to continue all the way up to today with various health clubs, spas, recovery studios and the like spread across our country. I think it is safe to say that the obvious need for humans to take time for themselves and recover has been well established throughout the history of the world. Fall in love with yourself Self care is not selfish.
However, the thing I hear most from people about self care is, “I just don’t have the time” or “I have to focus on my kids/spouse” or even “It is too expensive.” It breaks my heart to hear people tell me these excuses, because everyone truly needs self care and truly deserves it. All that is needed to overcome these excuses however, is a little change in perspective.
“I just don’t have the time for self care”
Time is an interesting thing, everyone has the exact same 24hrs in a day, yet not everyone prioritizes that time the same way. But, let’s side step that one for now and address the askew perception of most people that have this excuse. “If I can’t spend as much time as Johnny Superman spends taking care of himself, I might as well not do any of it.” That is how most people come at this problem. When science has clearly shown us that spending as little as 15 minutes a day doing “self care” can decrease the risk of heart issues, lower risk of cancer, help avoid and/or relieve signs of depression and anxiety, and finally make you more productive in your work and personal life! Now that is an extraordinary list, however that last one is a game changer! Taking time to yourself, doing the things that help you recover and feel better can actually make you more productive, therefore saving you time in the long run! Self care is actually going to help you focus, reduce brain fog, and give you more energy!
“I have to focus on my kids/spouse”
This one really breaks my heart and often this excuse comes from the people that need “self care” the most. They continue to give and give and never take time to replenish themselves and recover and restore who they are on the inside. This mentality often leads to burnout, depression and anxiety, along with a host of other things. My questions for these individuals are usually as follows: “Don’t you think your loved ones would want you to take care of yourself?” or “How are you going to be able to take care of them if you can’t take care of yourself?” or even “Do you think that taking 15 minutes to have a time of self care everyday would make you a better spouse, parent, coworker, etc.?” The answer inevitably to all these questions is in the positive. Of course your loved ones want you to be happy and healthy, of course you want to be physically and emotionally able to take care of your loved ones for the long term, and of course taking time for yourself to recover, rejuvenate, and replenish is going to make you a better person all around!
“Self care is too expensive”
This usually comes up when someone is considering professional help with their self care. (ie. recovery studios, fitness professionals, massage therapists, etc.). This is really not an issue of money, rather it is an issue of when and how much money do you want to spend? Not addressing those aches and pains now can lead to expensive medications or surgeries down the road. Refusing addressing the emotional issues you have now can lead to therapist bills down the road. Not addressing your sleep quality, nutrition, mental health, and/or physical health now when the symptoms are easier to handle and oftentimes rectifiable, will almost always lead to large events that are going to cost you a lot of money in the future. The way I look at it is this: I can invest a small amount of money in myself now that will inevitably pay me dividends of health, happiness, and keeping money in my pocket later on!
“Ok you convinced me, I need to take time for myself, where do I start?”
Glad you asked! Self care can look different for every individual, examples include: yoga, massages, meditation, reading, journaling, fitness practices, a sport, quiet time, religious practices, or professional services such as, nutrition coaching, recovery therapy, or physical training. This is not a comprehensive list, but it should give you an idea on where to start. So, if you want to get started taking care of yourself today, then click this link, and we will hook you up with a session with one of our recovery experts today to get you started! Fall in love with yourself Self care is not selfish.
