Self Care is Not (Only) Salt Baths
Doing the Hard Things
Think about the last time you did something hard but necessary. Maybe it was sweating through another workout, telling a toxic friend you don’t want to see them anymore, getting a second job to save money, or finding a way to accept yourself so you’re not always tired from trying to be perfect. It’s also about taking breaks to do simple things like adding some fragrant oil to a warm bath, flipping through a favorite magazine, and turning off your phone for the day.
Why We Turn to Self-Care
In a world where self-care is such a trendy topic, it shows that we are stressed. Do you turn to self-care because you need a break from your own pressure? True self-care should not be a last resort but a regular practice.
Building a Life You Don’t Need to Escape From
True self-care is not just about salt baths and chocolate cake. It is about making choices to build a life you don’t need to escape from. And that often means doing the thing you least want to do. Imagine facing your failures and disappointments and coming up with a new plan. It is not about satisfying your immediate desires. It is about letting go, choosing new paths, disappointing some people, and making sacrifices for others. It is living in a way that others won’t, so maybe you can live in a way that others can’t.
Letting Yourself Be Normal
Remember the times you let yourself be normal? Sometimes it means having a messy kitchen and deciding that your main goal in life isn’t going to be having abs or keeping up with fake friends. Reflect on how much of your anxiety comes from not reaching your hidden potential, and how much comes from the way you were taught to think before you even knew what was happening.
Real vs. Consumer Self-Care
If you find yourself often indulging in consumer self-care, it’s because you are disconnected from real self-care, which has very little to do with “treating yourself” and a lot to do with taking care of yourself and making choices for your long-term wellness.
Breaking the Cycle of Self-Sabotage
Picture no longer using your busy and unreasonable life as an excuse for self-sabotage in the form of alcohol and procrastination. It is learning how to stop trying to “fix yourself” and start trying to take care of yourself… and maybe finding that taking care of yourself lovingly solves a lot of the problems you were trying to fix in the first place.
Becoming the Hero of Your Life
It means being the hero of your life, not the victim. It means changing what you have until your everyday life isn’t something you need therapy to recover from. It is no longer choosing a life that looks good over a life that feels good. It is giving up on some goals so you can care about others. It is being honest even if that means you aren’t liked by everyone. It is meeting your own needs so you aren’t anxious and dependent on other people.
Enjoying Life, Not Escaping From It
Imagine becoming the person you know you want and are meant to be. Someone who knows that salt baths and chocolate cake are ways to enjoy life – not escape from it.
