What Does Self Care Mean To You?
My self care habits are one of my favorite parts of my daily routine. I have a few favorites that I prioritize (journaling, working out, skincare), but there are countless habits out there to choose from – all of which have their own special benefits and promise results for our physical wellbeing, mental health, and overall success.
If you’re like me, you see aspirational morning routines, nighttime rituals, and productivity hacks on your feed everyday. These picture-perfect routines provide so much inspiration, but can make it feel like it’s ever-changing and ever-increasing of what we should be including into our daily routines to become the best version of ourselves.
I wanted to share a perspective that I feel a lot of us can probably relate to. I was chatting with my friend Alessia recently about the everyday habits we want to incorporate into our lives, and she said she was struggling with finding the motivation for practices like journaling and affirmations. However, she doesn’t struggle with getting up and hitting the gym first thing in the morning. I told her that an early morning workout isn’t something that feels intuitive to me, but that I truly love journaling and practice it consistently.
The other habits you see in people’s daily routines that you may want to incorporate might look like:
Meditation
EFT tapping
Reciting positive affirmations
Breathwork
Journaling
Reading self development books
Doing a workout
Grounding
Dry brushing
Stepping into a sauna
Braving an ice bath (or taking a cold shower)
A complete skincare routine
Drinking green juice
Practicing different manifestation methods
Red light therapy
Taking a cupboard full of specific supplements
All sorts of biohacks
…just to name a few.
All of these practices are amazing and beneficial in their own unique ways. At the same time, if we put the pressure on ourselves to incorporate every conceivable practice into our everyday routines, it may feel more like an overwhelming and stress-inducing task, rather than a stress-relieving ritual. It’s also detrimental for our mental health to put all that unrealistic pressure on ourselves, and if we’re not careful with our mindset, it's easy to get caught in comparison as well.
It made me ponder a question that I believe we should all be asking ourselves:
What does self care mean to you? What practices and habits naturally feel good to you?
Similar to what I wrote about in my morning routine post, I believe there are certain fundamental categories we should hit each day to ensure we’re taking proper care of ourselves – like a mindset practice to keep us thinking positive, a physical practice to keep our bodies healthy, and something purely joyful for our soul.
But, within those, it’s up to you to decide what resonates the most with you.
I think the reason so many options exist is so that we can find what specifically works for us, not so that we feel pressure to do each one every single day. Your self care routine should never make you feel pressured or like you’re not doing enough. It should bring you joy and make you feel like you’re getting closer to the best version of yourself.
For me, I’m usually consistent with habits like drinking enough water, getting movement in, and doing my (albeit very simple) skincare routine. But I am nowhere near perfect: I don’t have a consistent meditation practice, but instead I journal every week because it helps me process emotions and helps me feel clear minded. I don’t have a specific set of affirmations that I recite, but I try my best to have positive self-talk and also find that empowering music really lights up my soul and makes me feel confident.
I think it’s really all about finding what personally works for you, because we’re all different. What I suggest is to try out different routines and practices to find what works for you, and makes you feel like you’re truly nurturing your mind, body, and soul.
