The TRUE Meaning of Self-Care
Self-Care has literally become a buzz word. Similar to identity politics or cultural appropriation; people kind’ve throw it around for street cred, without truly knowing its meaning. But, surprise surprise, self-care is not bubble baths and sheet masks, although it can be. It’s a lot more gut-wrenching than that. It’s digging into yourself, learning about what makes you you, and through this process attempting to understand the role you have played in your life experiences.
All of that sounded very vague and existential so let’s dig a bit deeper.
According to Goodtherapy.org, Self-Care “describes the actions that an individual might take in order to reach optimal physical and mental health.”
Based on this definition, I didn’t actually start taking care of myself until I was probably 18 years old. Prior to that I would describe my self-care as being reactionary, as in I would react poorly to something I experienced, go through the motions of processing that trauma, and then kind’ve just try and pick up the pieces. Obviously, this turned into a cycle of extreme emotions, irritability, which then put a strain on my own mental health and my relationship with others.
With that being said, the true meaning of self-care aligns more with the definition of self-love; it is taking the necessary steps towards healing, growing and becoming a version of yourself that you adore. For me personally, self-care looks like journaling or spending time in nature by myself.
What does self-care look like for you? What are some practices that you abide by in order to help you feel like your best self? Keep in mind that these practices should come from an internal place, as opposed to external one. For example, emotional eating or spontaneous spending may feel good in the moment, but aren’t necessarily effective long-term solutions. But, cooking yourself a good meal, or treating yourself to a new plant, can be good forms of self-care that both make you feel good in the moment, but also can help improve the quality of your life, in general. See the difference?