The self-care i mean isn’t just grooming ourselves (even though i do think that’s an important part), what i mean is nurturing our spirit. Allowing ourselves to reflect, introspect, make improvements and move forward. Nurturing ourselves in that way is really a necessary part of growth. Each and every one of you reading this deserves time invested in yourself to become the best version of yourself that you can be. And i really believe that self-care is a reflection on how much we value our self. For example, when i became a mum all my attention (and everyone else’s) focuses on the baby and no longer the woman who carried it. I let myself slip, i stopped taking time for ‘me’ and i soon felt lost.. you don’t have to have a baby for this to happen, sometimes it’s a job, a friend or a partner that makes you forget who you really are and THAT’s what happens when you don’t invest time into YOU. It’s easy to make excuses, it’s easy to let life and situations carry you away but there’ll be a point when you come to a halt, and perhaps feel stuck and worst scenario you lose yourself along the way. Taking the time to spend time with yourself, learning what it is that energizes you, what your strengths and skills are, what you enjoy and who you want to share all those things with, is what will give you clear direction and work towards a more fulfilling lifestyle.
It took me a while to realise this and i’m still not 100% sure on all of the above, but i now have some focus. I know what i want and what drives me, i know what my passions are and how i hope that can help others. Once you have all these things in your mind, you then start to value yourself more, you realise you have a purpose, you have a voice and a spirit that’s capable of whatever it chooses.
Self-care is more than just sitting in a bath tub once a week in a dimly lit room soaking our sins away, it’s TIME. Time taken to understand what’s going on in our minds. It’s also; awareness, rest, presence, slowing down, exploration, mindfulness, curiosity, choice, acceptance and focus on progress.
So i’ve mentioned baths twice (can you tell i’m a fan?), but there are so many other ways you can practice self-care. Now that the weather is warming up take a short evening walk. Try 5 minute meditation or yoga, you might like my post on incorporating yoga into our every day lives. Get up 30 minutes earlier so you can enjoy that first cup of coffee or tea in peace. Read more. Ask more questions. Explore new places in your hometown. Make improvements to your life. Attempt to learn something new.
Self-care allows you to have self-respect, it gives us the ability to do better and be better, in every area of our lives, it allows us to take care of our emotions and health. It means that you value yourself and when that happens, others start to value and accept you too.
I’m really passionate about self-care and understand how important it is because it’s made such a difference to my life, do you take time for self-care? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
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