Hi lovelies,
It’s a well-known fact that helping other people is a good thing. It’s altruistic, kind, it gives you a feeling of great well-being, and it’s good for your mental health (as long as you’re not being taken advantage of, although that’s something quite different). Knowing this, and trying to reconcile this knowledge with the idea of self-care can be difficult; it can make any form of self-care seem selfish and unnecessary. After all, why help yourself when you could be helping others?
The truth, of course, is that self-care is in no way selfish. It’s just as important to take care of yourself as it is to help others, and in reality, if you don’t do the former you won’t be in any fit state to do the latter. If you’re still unsure and have that nagging feeling of doubt within you, read on; you’ll soon see why self-care is definitely not selfish.
It Makes You, You
It’s so important in life to let our true, inner selves shine through, and this is what self-care allows us to do. Even if it’s only for a few minutes per day, if we can let ourselves be ourselves, it can make a big difference. When you are practicing self-care, you can think about your likes and dislikes, and you can determine which path to take in life; you might even have a chance to formulate a proper plan for the future.
This is because self-care allows you to think more clearly. If you’re not enjoying your job, the time you spend tending to your own needs will give you a chance to work out where you might be happier, for example. If you’re not happy with your appearance, you can consider how best to change yourself, whether it’s through exercise, a change of style, or surgery such as breast augmentation. Whatever it is you need to do, do it – this is a form of self-care too. Life is far too short to be miserable, and taking care of our own wants and needs is paramount.
You Will Live Rather Than Exist
Everyone is existing. When you breathe, eat, drink, and sleep, you are existing. But that doesn’t mean you are living, which is quite another thing altogether. The sad fact is, although everyone is existing, not everyone is living. It doesn’t have to be like that, though. When you practice self-care, you can really live.
This is because you are more open to the experiences life is offering you. You’ll be able to spot them more easily in the first place, and you’ll be more willing to try things out, especially if they are taking you in the direction you realize you need to go in to truly make a difference in your life.
If you have been spending a lot of time worrying about other people and not taking care of yourself, you might find you’ve only been existing. Now it’s time to live.
Self-Care Is Empowering
Living is better than simply existing, but living an empowered life is better than simply living, so whatever you can do to make your life a more empowered one, you should do it. Self-care offers you the chance to become more empowered.
Self-care is empowering because you don’t need anyone’s approval or permission to do it. You just have to make a choice that for a day, an hour, 10 minutes, or whatever time you have, you’re going to be unselfishly self-caring.
