You think self-care isn’t that important because you are getting by each day. Your body is resilient. You can neglect it and not only will it keep working but it will alter itself to keep up with garbage habits. You might not realize the toll it’s taking because you can “push through”.
Every choice and action does have effects. You may just be so deep into exhaustion and neglect that nothing really seems to be “bad enough” until something drastic happens.
If you could experience five seconds of how good you could feel with good self-care you would have endless motivation to keep it going.
Thought 1:
You think “self-care is not that important.”
This is a direct hit to your self-worth. Saying self-care doesn’t matter that much is like saying I don’t matter.
Low self-worth tricks you into believing that your own health, personal development or rejuvenation doesn’t matter. It’s not true.
You do matter. How you take care of yourself with thoughts and action signals to your mind that you DO MATTER.
Thought 2:
You think “self-care is selfish or takes away from others.”
This also implies low self-worth because you think another human is more important instead of equal, and it also makes you feel guilty.
Self-care = self-responsibility. Not selfishness.
Look, if your definition of self-care means you ignore people you love and purposely cause suffering to get your massage, then yes. You are selfish. But that’s not what self-care is.
Caring for yourself doesn’t equal someone else’s suffering.
What is your intent? To make sure you get yours and everyone is punished? Or is it to take care of you so you can stop being so short-tempered, ill, or worn out when somebody wants to talk to you after a long day?
“Self-care is giving the
unknown
world the best of you
instead of what’s left of
you.”
I know it can be hard to fit self-care into your life. Twenty minutes when you park your butt on the couch is twenty minutes you’re not with your kids, or doing all that stuff on your to do list.
But skimping on self-care is not going to help you get those million things done. It might work some of the time but eventually you are burned out and resentful.
Self-care comes in all kinds of forms from laying on the couch for 10 minutes to staying hydrated on days you are busy.
Self-care can also mean relaxing your unrealistic expectations of yourself. Sometimes the best self-care is looking at your personal expectations and to do lists and evaluating if this is even what you want to be doing. Often, we ignore our basic wants. Self-care is paying attention to them.
What are some doable self-care things you’re going to start doing every day?
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The Habit of Self-Doubt: Crush It and Build Real Confidence