I recently stumbled upon an article that, in summary, said self-care is a hoax for helping busy moms cope with the stress that comes with raising children because bubble baths and face masks aren’t what they need…they need a strong support system.
While I agree that it does take a village to raise a child, the author dropped the ball by mitigating self-care to simply being bubble baths and beauty treatments. These are definitely important acts of taking time to nurture oneself, which is a form of self-care, there are many more layers to self-care.
Oxford Dictionaries defines self-care as:
The practice of taking action to preserve or improve one’s own health.
The practice of taking an active role in protecting one’s own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress.
Self-care is is committing to actively prioritizing one’s well-being and this entails mental, spiritual, emo-tional and physical activities.
When a busy mom takes time to seek professional help from a therapist because she feels unsupported and overwhelmed, that’s self-care. When she schedules date nights with her partner to keep their relationship strong, that is self-care. When she attends a yoga class or joins a run club, that’s self-care. When she ends toxic relationships to align with a stronger support system, that’s self-care.
When she calls a friend and asks for them to babysit so she can have some me-time, that’s self-care. And if she uses that time for a bubble bath or face mask… that is still self-care.
I’m sure by now, you all catch my drift… self-care is more than bubble baths and face masks!
As a yoga teacher and authority in the wellness space, it’s important that I continue to educate myself on certain buzzwords like self-care because it’s much more than a feel–good movement. Many fitness enthusiasts and Insta-famous influencers are giving mixed messages about self-care when their timelines are all exotic vacations, açaí bowls and self-help quotes.
I’m not saying enjoying these things is wrong, but these are just sprinkles of the desirable parts of practicing self-care. For many people being intentional about their mental, spiritual, physical and emotional health is a lifeline and it’s not always pretty. Hardships, tears, pain and loss can all be parts of a person’s self-care experience.
I can attest to the latter, as my self-care journey has involved sleepless nights, tears and letting go with occasional vacations, açaí bowl binges and lots of bubble baths and yoga sprinkled in.
What is your take on self-care? What does it mean to you and how do you practice it?
xo,
