Whether you’ve been bombarded with “self-love” Instagram photos of your friends are telling you how they’re going to show themselves some TLC this Valentine’s Day, it’s safe to say that there’s a lot of self-care content out there at the moment!
We thought we’d take a moment to interrupt your Valentine’s Day - for the right reasons, we promise!
Whether you’ve been bombarded with “self-love” Instagram photos of your friends are telling you how they’re going to show themselves some TLC this Valentine’s Day, it’s safe to say that there’s a lot of self-care content out there at the moment!
But, we want to get a different message over to you - the truth is, self-care is more than just spa days and yoga classes.
Whilst you might think that practising self-care involves getting your favourite face mask on and lighting a candle (and it certainly can!), there’s a little more to it than that, and in this article, we’re going to explore that.
What Really is Self-Care?
The self-care movement, very closely linked with the self-love movement, has taken over a lot of our screen time over the past few years.
As much as it’s wonderful that we’re all making a little extra effort to appreciate ourselves and show ourselves attention, the self-care movement is often misinterpreted, or the focus lies on the physical things we can do to prioritise ourselves.
The truth is, self-care is about understanding ourselves, showing ourselves compassion, and accepting and appreciating who we are and what we’re doing without judgement.
Self-care, of course, also relates to how we take care of ourselves:
What do we do to make sure we feel appreciated by ourselves?
How often do we take time to focus on how we feel and tap into our desires?
When do we actively create time and space for ourselves?
There’s a range of aspects to self-care, but alongside the physical elements of self-care that are often highlighted, we need to be focusing on the emotional self-care that we give ourselves - this is often the part that people miss out on.
So, How Can You Show Yourself Self-Care?
Self-care is not a standardised process - everyone’s type of self-care will differ. However, if you’re struggling to understand how to show yourself self-care, here are 5 tips to utilise!
1. Don’t Feel Pressurised To Buy Into The “Love Yourself” Trend
Before I say anything else, I want to say that I’m not telling you not to love yourself! Of course, self-love is incredibly important! However, there seems to be a lot of pressure going around to fully love ourselves and for many, it can feel overwhelming and cause pressure if they don’t think you’re doing a good job at doing so!
Rather than attempting to force yourself to “love yourself” - start with moving towards compassion for yourself. Don’t put pressure on it or buy into a toxic positivity movement surrounding self-care.
2. Work On Creating An Honest Relationship With Yourself
Following on from the tip above, let’s talk about how creating an honest and kind relationship with yourself is an integral part of self-care! Compassion is one of the most important aspects of creating an honest relationship with yourself. Showing compassion and empathy to yourself is one of the greatest acts of care that you could undertake!
Even when you’re having a bit of a rough day, and in fact probably even more importantly when you’re having a bad day, try to show yourself kindness. Don’t force yourself to feel a certain way about yourself instantly - work at it and go at your own pace.
By showing compassion to yourself, you will help you stop invalidating and pushing away emotions that you typically think are not positive or useful, you’ll stop judging yourself, and you’ll become more conscious and self-aware.
3. Sit With Yourself
Although self-care definitely doesn’t have to mean isolating yourself or spending time alone, but sometimes, it really can help! For most people, there’s something particularly special about spending time by themselves - it allows you to be exactly who you are, do what you want to do, and understand yourself exactly as you are.
If you’re struggling to make a decision, you feel overwhelmed by relationships or situations in your life, or you simply want to tap into your soul a little more, spending time alone is a great way to regain a sufficient level of self-understanding.
4. Practice Self-Care In The Long Run
One of the main problems with the mainstream concept of self-care is that by doing some painting or heading for a spa day, your self-care quota gets filled. This is absolutely not the case! Self-care is both physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual, and it is something that you have to show yourself in the long run.
Although you may want to schedule specific times, days, or events to show yourself some extra special self-care, try to adopt a constant mindset of self-care.
5. Reach Out For Support: Self-Care Isn’t A Solo Task!
Just because self-care is about yourself, doesn’t mean you have to do it alone! Surround yourself with a positive and compassionate support network, connect with those who truly make you feel good about yourself, seek the help of therapists or mental health professionals, and remember that taking care of yourself isn’t just a solo activity!